Sympathy for the Devil
by peanut goddess
Summary: Jean Grey and Emma Frost are forced to work together... Magneto and Mystique plotting and Xavier countering them...This is a romance despite the drama. Phoenix appears. Chapter 13 is here. Mystique comes to town!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Marvel has that privilege. These two will not leave me alone! I've decided to continue...

**Jean Grey and Emma Frost**

**Chapter 1**

Westchester, NY

Tuesday 12.30

On a crisp autumn afternoon at Xavier's school for the gifted, English period had just ended and the students filed out of the classroom leaving their teacher sitting at her desk correcting the essays they had just handed up. No one noticed the sinking of her shoulders and the hand coming up from the table to rest against a weary forehead. They were just glad to be free as Miss Frost had been particularly scathing that day and a few of them had been singed by her acerbic remarks. Though a brilliant teacher, Emma brought an unhealthy amount of sarcasm into the class room. She was aware of it of course and tried to rein it in but she understood enough to know that she was protecting herself so that she wouldn't bond with these students. She couldn't bear the thought of losing any more charges and try as she might to keep them at arm's length she knew that it was inevitable they would come to mean something to her.

The classroom door was open to the corridor and so it was that as Jean Grey walked by en route to the teachers' room some minutes later she glanced in and saw Emma's hand shift from her forehead and join a raised one to cover her eyes. For the briefest of moments Emma looked broken and Jean stopped in her tracks feeling guilty for being the one to observe a moment of raw emotion when Emma Frost, the ice queen, was renowned for being so in control and intimidating. Not to mention manipulative, Jean thought. Even if she was grieving for the young students she had lost, the woman was always dangerous.

"What is it, Grey?" she heard Emma mutter as she stood there looking in. Jean mentally sighed. Of course Emma would sense her presence; she should have kept walking. However, feeling particularly reckless all of a sudden, she took it as her cue to enter the room and approach the desk. As she did Emma took her hands away from her face and turned to look at Jean. Her fierce blue eyes steadily taking in the face approaching her. "Well?" she snapped, "what do you want?"

Jean was unimpressed by the clipped question but her instinct told her to at least attempt the impossible and give Emma an opening to talk. Smoothing out an imaginary crease on her sleeve and smiling shyly she started, "Nothing Emma, I was just passing, saw you here and I-"

"Don't!" was all Emma said as she raised her hand up between them in order to block Jean from finishing. Of course Jean expected this, she knew that Emma did not want concern, did not want to appear weak and was just going to become an über bitch because Jean dared to cross the boundary to admit she saw Emma looking weary. Normally Jean would have walked away granting a person the right to reject help until they were ready but she knew someone like Emma Frost would never be ready and today something snapped inside her when Emma cut her off. She almost sneered at the predictability of it all. Almost sneered, Jean would never sneer, though the Phoenix would…

"Don't what, Emma?" She countered then raised her voice a little, "Don't speak? Don't move? Don't ask? Don't care? Don't ever try to cross the line you've drawn around yourself?" Jean stared boldly at Emma, her eyes glowing for a moment, challenging her to reply.

Emma being only momentarily stunned by the unexpected outburst came back with a weary, "whatever!" and then inwardly flinched at her pitiable retort. So juvenile and unbecoming but she conceded her heart wasn't in it to quarrel right then and as she stared back at Jean she realised she had actually pushed a button as Jean continued louder than before and her eyes started to sparkle. She knew the Phoenix was close by and braced herself.

"Don't whatever me, Frosty! Don't think you have the right to tell me that I cannot show concern for a colleague, cannot be _worried_ about a colleague, cannot _speak_ _or offer help_ because you are too high and mighty to admit that you could actually use it…" Jean was emphatically pointing at Emma to deliver her words, "but you are too stubborn to realise that I won't think you are weak for accepting my support." Jean slowed down now realising she had gotten carried away with her tirade, "and really when all is said and done, I don't know how to be the person you could talk to about Genosha but…I would still try Emma…" Jean faltered as she took in the whole scene and the look on Emma's face which had become a mask after she had just seen a hint of disquiet, "I apologise for interrupting you and really should learn how to mind my own business. Don't worry Emma, I won't bother you again." With that Jean turned on her heel and left for lunch furious that she had made an idiot of herself and now convinced the White Queen was definitely beyond her help. As she walked she cursed herself for losing her cool and for not reining in her temper but if truth be told she cursed herself for listening to the Phoenix.

The electricity in the air was palpable after Jean left and Emma sat rooted to her desk, her mental shields intact and her grief locked behind them. She brought her body language under control and gazed at the door for a few moments before she continued with the corrections, knowing now that she wouldn't go get the coffee she was longing for from the staff room and would avoid Jean Grey for the day even though they had an X-men meeting after school. She mulled over several of Jean's words. Why was Jean concerned at all? It was obvious to all that Emma disliked Jean and Jean was aware of that fact only too well. What was she trying to accomplish broaching the subject of Genosha? Was she really genuine? She said she didn't know how to help her but would try? Emma was too used to ulterior motives and too sickened by everyone's unquestioning adoration of Jean to have been anything but rude to her. Her 'whatever' line made her grimace again as she thought of all the scathing things that she would normally have said in that situation and which didn't seem to come out this time. That was an intriguing issue for her as her mind drifted to her own reactions. Hello and where did _Frosty _come from? She smirked, then checked herself and scowled and then she deliberately pushed away all thoughts of Genosha until she was alone in her own room and could think back on the students she lost during that attack.

Her momentary lapse of composure which pre-empted Jean's intrusion would not happen again. She thought about how Jean's eyes had started glowing ever so slightly and she thought about reporting it to Charles, though that felt oddly like tattling and she reasoned he worked so closely with Jean that they were probably both quite aware of it. She decided she would ask Jean about it and if she wasn't satisfied, she would approach Charles. She acknowledged that being responsible for these students made her protective nature come to the fore. The last thing anyone wanted was for the untamed Phoenix force to blaze through the school and beyond. That thing was way more trouble than it was worth though she did have to thank its power for reassembling her after she broke into the thousands of shards when Esme shot her. Her diamond mutation had its weaknesses though and that alarmed her more than she cared to admit. She also had to repress the interest in seeing Jean's eyes blaze so orange again. They were extremely attractive like that and she mentally berated herself for going down that avenue because it was bloody Jean Grey for crying out loud! The day was getting worse and worse.

When the corrections were finished and as she had no other classes, Emma walked back to her room and locked the door behind her. She lay on her bed for a while looking out the window watching the sun dip lower behind the trees. She bolstered up her shields and allowed her mind to cast back to Genosha and only then did she begin to shed tears. It had taken the better part of a year and one moment with Jean to finally allow herself to feel.

She looked at the clock at 17.19, sat up and walked to the bathroom to freshen up. She reapplied her normally flawless make up, changed into a pair of soft white pants and a low cut ice blue blouse and styled her hair up at the front and down over one shoulder and sprayed her preferred evening perfume. She regarded herself in the mirror, she looked softer than usual, but it was how she was feeling now, a little too raw. She even removed her jewellery save one pendant her brother Christian had bought her years before and took some deep breaths before walking down to Xavier's office. She was the second to arrive and Charles welcomed her sincerely as she sat down beside Hank and they began discussing the school until the others arrived. No doubt he knew something of what she was feeling. It would be a year the following Thursday since the massacre at Genosha.

At 18:00, Xavier gathered most of the X-Men who were on campus to his study for a briefing. Jean and Scott were the last to enter the room and Emma watched Jean approach the chair opposite her as Scott stood behind her. When Jean sat down she nodded to the professor and the others even including Emma in that movement of her head. Emma just looked back at the Professor, her heckles rising. Jean did a mental eye-roll and turned her attention to their leader.

The professor explained that he had been tipped off that Mystique had infiltrated the government of a wealthy foreign power and was using this influence on Magneto's behalf to secure funding and workers for the development of weapons. What these weapons were, Xavier couldn't say. Who had tipped him off, he wouldn't divulge. Their mission was to find the munitions factory and see what was being worked on and to draw Mystique out and take her out of the equation if possible. They knew she'd be heavily guarded by humans thinking she was their actual politician and by mutants she would have placed around her against just such an attack. Scott and Logan were to infiltrate the factory along with Storm. Jean and Emma were to investigate the politician and follow his movements, determine whether or not it was Mystique and survey her activities until the others rejoined them and they worked on an extraction plan based on their observational data.

To Emma it sounded positively awful to be partnered with Jean on this reconnaissance mission, but she could see the logic in the plan and her one suggestion was that Charles should send someone with them in case they were discovered. She had always considered Rogue's powers to be the most beneficial to her own protection if her telepathic commands weren't working on an attacker. Though that was a rare occurrence it had happened in the past.

Jean bristled when Emma stated they might need some protection and added mentally to herself that they would need a third person to keep them civil and not kill each other. Xavier pointed out that Jean was now powerful enough to protect them both in such an event and Jean smiled over to Emma as she caught the anger emanating from her. This was obviously picked up by Charles as well but he remained quiet about it for now.

After the finer points of the mission had been worked out, the group dispersed and went their separate ways. Emma was so fatigued after the meeting that she decided it wasn't the best time to confront Jean about the Phoenix. She went to her room where she opened an old brandy she had put aside, relaxed in an exquisite antique French chair she had recently purchased and opened an educational textbook she had been reading the night before. _What have I become?_ She thought. _How tame this is!_ She chortled. _I guess even the ne'er do wells need some time off too._

Two days later on the anniversary of Genosha, Charles had organised a memorial ceremony which Emma could not face though she did watch the proceedings from her window, glass in hand. At one point she could see Jean turn around searching for the correct floor and look right at her behind the window. Emma didn't flinch or move away, she just returned the brief look until Jean turned her attention back to Charles.

To Jean, Emma had worn her haughty countenance ever since the misfired attempt at showing concern in the classroom, though Jean remarked that at the meeting Emma was certainly not attired to her usual suggestive standards and looked positively normal, still exquisite, but not as sexual or treacherous looking. In fact apart from the occasional eye roll and guffaw, she had been quieter than usual as the teams were divided up and as they left Charles' office Jean could feel Emma watching her leave with Scott.

The day after the memorial was another day off for the students and was also the day that Jean and Emma would be dropped to the country and city they would spend the next four days doing surveillance in. A hotel had already been booked and Emma had insisted that Frost Enterprises pay for it as she wanted nothing less than the best accommodation.

As the country was eight hours ahead, it was already night by the time they arrived. Emma had slept for most of it as Jean and Scott piloted. The blackbird hovered over a park just outside the city as Jean lowered them down telekinetically and they walked towards the taxi they had waiting at the gates. The driver was surprised to see them as he thought it must have been a hoax booking until he saw two stunning women walk through the gates with their bags. He drove them to the Trium Hotel in the centre of the city and was glad when the fare was over as he got the distinct impression that the two women hated one another from the lack of conversation and tension in the air - though the enormous tip he got from the blonde made up for it as he drove away into the night. Jean and Emma were met by the porter and escorted to the front desk. Jean marvelled at the opulence of the place and secretly thanked Emma for being such a posh cow this once.

They had adjoining rooms and their own separate en suites and Jean did what most do who are not used to such luxury, she sat on the bed and bounced up and down, took in the décor with an appreciative murmur, then went to the bathroom to see the size of it and was delighted to see a bath. She knew exactly what she would be doing before they rendezvoused for their first late night stealth operation; infiltration of the politician's offices to look for files pertaining to the weapons manufacturing plant. Emma spoke the language almost fluently but had spent the Genosha Memorial Day brushing up on the key words she thought they might come across during the mission. She was glad to finally be free of Jean and lay on the bed for a while checking the room service menu before ringing down and ordering the chef prepare her something else entirely. She also ordered a bottle of gin and tonic for after the night's mission as she suspected she might need it.

Jean lay in the bath surrounded by luxurious jasmine scented candles and quite covered in bubbles and the pure jasmine oil she had found on the shelf in the bathroom. She soaked herself through and felt clean and reinvigorated and took the rare opportunity to completely pamper herself. This high end of the Frost lifestyle she could certainly live with as she and Scott never did things like this. She wondered what Emma was doing in the three hours they had to themselves and when she was finally dressed and coiffed she sat on the bed to meditate and focus her powers.

When they met a few hours later, and being in the political and financial district to begin with, they decided to walk towards the offices. They both did mental scans to determine how many guards were on duty, and they probed some minds to ascertain the location of the particular office they needed as Jean slipped down an alleyway and proceeded to glide up to the roof to check for an opening.

_-Emma, I have found a door and unlocked it. It wasn't alarmed before you ask-_

_-Well I should hope not Grey!_

_-Some credit please Emma! Anyway brace yourself for a little flight._

_-You may proceed but mind you don't wallop me accidentally off anything!_

_-Tempting…_

With that Emma felt a swirl of mental energy envelop her body and lift her silently to the roof. She quite enjoyed the feeling even if giving over control to Jean was something she'd rather not have to do. She was aware of the immense power of the Phoenix pouring through Jean's thoughts and was impressed that Jean could manage to co-exist with that power brimming below the surface. Jean set her down gently beside her and Emma courteously thanked her much to Jean's disbelief. They made their way through the building and only came across one guard that Emma quickly dispatched telling him he needed to sit in the men's room and think about his life's choices until his shift ended. Jean smirked at this and Emma wanted to change it to something far more sinister when she saw Jean's mirth. _Can't possibly have her thinking well of me._

They also sent messages to the other seven on duty to ignore the monitors all night and not to enter the top floor for at least two hours. Jean having scanned the man monitoring the cameras quickly disconnected the cables from the back of all the cameras recording the areas they were in.

When they reached the office they found the information pertaining to the location of several munitions sites and the official memo on what was being constructed in each one. Emma photographed all the sheets so that she could pour over them later. Blueprints and contracts anything they thought might be pertinent. They also obtained the various addresses for the politician and those of most of his close associates. When they were satisfied that all they could gleam from the files was now in their possession, Jean planted a few discreet bugs in locations she thought might be used for conversations of a less reserved manner. Emma busied herself returning everything to its appropriate place as she had a near perfect memory for such things while Jean reconnected the cameras. They knew that no one would go through the footage when the guards suspected nothing was amiss but they had to hope that Mystique had become complacent and didn't have the nightly footage checked for anomalies.

Jean floated them both onto the roof of a building further down as the alley way was now occupied by a security van. She brought them to street level on the other side of the building in another alley way and they both emerged from the shadows and started walking in the direction of the hotel feeling slightly exhilarated. Emma noticed from her sideways glance that Jean was looking cheerful and found that she was pleased herself. She had more than enough to go through tonight before they locked on to Mystique the next day and reported to the others the probable site for the munitions factory. Back at the hotel, they separated into their rooms to change as Emma had invited Jean on the way back to dine in her suite while they went over the information on her laptop and devised a strategy to follow Mystique and her entourage.

Jean let down her hair and changed into some light green sweat pants and a plain white t-shirt and went barefoot into Emma's room. She smiled that disconcerting smile at Emma and sat down on the lavish sofa waiting for her host to join her. Emma was momentarily rendered wordless by how natural and comfortable Jean was in her own skin and as Jean smiled at her, Emma found her anger slipping away with it. This woman was really too damned nice to really loathe just because she had dallied telepathically with her husband some months before. She felt oddly guilty now looking over at her and wondered if she suspected anything. She was over him now as he was truly a bore in every respect and though he cast the image of wholesome husband, Emma knew he didn't deserve someone as uncorrupted as Jean. She decided not to broach the Phoenix topic until their mission was over and they were back at the mansion. Finding her voice quickly she made some culinary recommendations to Jean which she accepted and rang down for room service. She could still smell the faint odour of jasmine emanating from Jean all night and she was glad she had pre-ordered Jean's favourite scent to be placed in the bathroom. Of course she wouldn't let Jean know that she took these things in back at the mansion but she was pleased that Jean hadn't suspected. It was her subtle way of thanking her for trying to help that day in the classroom. She walked over to the bureau and with her back to Jean exhaled a deep quiet sigh before retrieving the laptop and sitting beside her on the sofa to look over the files.

They stayed like that for a half hour before the food arrived. Jean was surprised to see a bottle of wine on the trolley but accepted a glass when Emma offered it and joined her at the table to dine leaving the laptop behind. Emma took some pleasure in watching Jean's eyes as she tasted the food Emma had recommended. Her eyes sparkled in delight several times. At first they were quiet until Emma broke the silence and started discussing the next day's strategy, pouring her guest generous amounts of white wine as Jean joined in the conversation and they spent the rest of the meal in a lively, though not caustic, debate on how to go about outing Mystique.

Jean regarded Emma throughout and noticed that she seemed less her usual haughty self that night. Her trademark sarcasm and innuendo were nonexistent and her commitment to the mission was undeniable. Jean was impressed and found herself comfortable with her one time enemy which she'd never have thought possible. As they left the table and rejoined each other on the sofa, glasses in hand, Jean found herself warming up to the White Queen something that would ordinarily have unnerved her. If was starting to see the woman behind the mask, she blamed it on the excellent food and heady wine!

For her part, Emma conceded that Jean wasn't the _absolute_ worst company in the world and that she had in fact enjoyed having Jean with her that evening. Better than having Scott drool his monosyllables all over her, that was for certain. What Jean saw in him all these years was beyond her but then she guessed it was familiarity, safety and that these things made her commitment to him extra powerful in a crazy mutant- hating world. She also noted how this reconnaissance mission was the first serious role Xavier had offered her and she found herself wanting to prove to him, to herself and to those sanctimonious others that she had changed and was on their side now. She also had to concede that she saw no subterfuge in Jean's words or actions and that she could trust her if she was so inclined. Not that she would ever but still…

Stifling a yawn Emma closed the laptop and got up and walked to the locker by her bed to get the gin and tonic and brought them to the coffee table before fetching two clean glasses and turning to Jean whilst holding them up, "a night cap, Grey?"

"Odd choice for a nightcap, Emma."

"I know, I had a hankering for it earlier, but if you're not bothered well-"

"I'd love one."

"Indeed!"

Emma poured two liberal helpings, retrieved some ice from the ice bucket and added some sliced lemons she had requested before handing the glass to Jean and filling up the tonic to her preference. She herself only liked a splash of tonic and she was pleased to see Jean was the same. They sat then in companionable silence drinking and thinking about what they had to do the next day. A little while later, Jean broke the ice so to speak when she bit down on a piece from the bottom of her glass. Observing Jean's slightly intoxicated state Emma took the now empty glass and told Jean to go to bed. They looked into each others' eyes without malice for a moment then Jean flashed her a last radiant smile and complied without a fuss wishing her a good night. Emma stood watching Jean exit through their adjoining doors with a bemused smile on her face. Against her better judgement she had to admit that the woman was positively cute. Emma looked at herself in the mirror _How awful Frosty!_ She thought. _You must be ill. _Horrified at the turn in her thoughts she went to the bathroom and went through her night-time beauty ritual. She slipped into a white silk nightdress and slinked into the enormous plush bed. Her thoughts were swirling and almost edging towards the chaotic, at the turn of events, at the horrendous possibility that she might actually like Miss Pris.


	2. Chapter 2

Same disclaimer applies

Saturday Night: Somewhere in Europe

The surveillance mission had been an unmitigated success. They had easily established the routine that the politician kept thanks to scanning some of his human entourage whilst also confirming that it was in fact an impostor as those that had suspected foul play had been threatened into silence by said impostor. Using her enhanced scanning powers Jean could easily detect that it was a mutant and not the real man in the body and that also at least three of its closest bodyguards were mutants. As Cerebro couldn't detect Mystique, she tried carefully to penetrate her shields with her enhanced telepathic abilities. She did this so surreptitiously that Mystique shouldn't have been aware she had been scanned but she couldn't break through. So it was when Emma had obtained via their heat vision camera some photographic evidence the following night of Mystique shifting back to her true form to stretch before going to sleep, that they had all the confirmation needed for the others to plan the extraction. However, the venue changed as they alerted Scott that Mystique had planned a trip to the compound the next day. Leave it to the others for now to obtain the information relating to what type of weapons Mystique was constructing and for what purpose. If the others could capture her and remove her from the game…all the better. Scott told Jean to take the Sunday to relax since they would not be collected until at least Monday.

Upon hearing this, Emma invited Jean to go sight seeing with her around the handsome medieval city. Jean accepted the invitation wondering why Emma was being so nice to her. She kept her guard up mentally but allowed her body to reveal her satisfaction at the offer with another smile. She noticed how Emma was caught off guard by the show of affection and this encouraged her to do it whenever the opportunity arose.

On Sunday morning, Jean awoke to the knocking on her door. A young woman with a trolley full of breakfast treats rolled her way into Jean's room. She turned and left pointing out a card on the edge of the tray for Jean. It said simply _Wake me when the food arrives! _She laughed and recalled how tired they had been when they returned the night before and how when her head hit the pillow she hadn't stirred until the knock on the door. She tied a silk gown around herself and walked over to the door separating their rooms knocking lightly. Not hearing a reply, she ventured on through the unlocked door and approached the bed. There Emma lay on her stomach hands sprawled out and legs akimbo beneath the covers. Jean muffled a snigger at the wanton abandon of Emma's pose. She walked around to the side of the bed, sat down and gently shook Emma's shoulder.

"Emma, wake up!" she whispered not wanting to shock the woman awake. Still Emma didn't budge and Jean reached out her hand to pull back a strand of that striking blonde hair so she could see Emma's face, "wake up sleepy head!" Emma shifted around a bit then opened her eyes. Taking in the situation she was bolt upright in an instant startling Jean.

"Christ Grey, you scared me to death!"

"A little early to be so melodramatic, isn't it Frosty?"

"It's never too early to be melodramatic!" Emma snorted and swung her legs from the opposite side of the bed, "Sleepyhead is most definitely awake now, thank you!" The mirth in her eyes was evident and Jean blushed at the fact that she had treated Emma the way she would Scott but decided to keep teasing.

"Breakfast is served, dear," she added mischievously standing and bowing to Emma who was wrapping a gown around herself.

"Be careful Jean I could get used to this!" She joked back and caught the blush climbing Jeans' face again.

"That's the first time ever you've called me by my name, you know."

"I know…let's eat."

After a pleasant breakfast trying the different dishes Emma had ordered from room service the night before her, they parted company, showered and dressed. Emma being finished first strolled through to Jean's room just as Jean was pulling a burgundy blouse over her head. Emma noticed the black lingerie and grinned mischievously before playfully whistling that universal construction workers' call to the opposite sex. Jean spun around and quickly located her trousers and sat on the bed to put them on, "See something you like?" she quipped.

Emma almost chuckled as she walked further into the room. "Of course dear, I'm not blind!" She proceeded to swing her long string of pearls around and added telepathically for effect in one of their notoriously flirty male student's voices - _Miss Grey is soooo hot man! _Jean laughed out loud and called Emma incorrigible.

"Don't you mean encourage-able darling!" Emma simpered batting her eyelids, "come along Miss Grey, we've so much to see and I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of booking us lunch in a famous little bistro near the castle after we've seen the old pile."

"Not at all Emma, that sounds great. Your culinary choices have been impeccable so far-"

"As have my manners, Miss Grey."

"Indubitably, Miss Frost." Jean could hardly believe she was in this moment with Emma. She looked straight at her, saw her smirk, her revelling in the moment too.

"Although I should add the lunch is booked under the name Von der Posch!" Emma announced whilst suddenly examining her nails in that age old affection of nonchalance. She was enjoying this spree a little too much.

"Von der what? That sounds ridiculous!"

"I beg to differ; the proprietor of aforementioned castle is the Von der Smelk family."

"I stand corrected."

"You're not standing dear, not get a move on and fasten those trousers!"

Jean rolled her eyes and finished dressing herself under the gaze of a certain relentless blonde who kept tapping her foot in mock impatience whilst regaling her with witty stories of names she'd come across in her travels. Jean could hardly believe this was the same White Queen she had battled some years before. It was a transformation. Though this was perhaps the real Emma coming through, she thought wryly. God she could be so pleasant and amusing and well Jean rather hoped this all wasn't an act and that as soon as they returned home that Emma wouldn't slip back into her thinly veiled hostility towards her. She found herself liking this woman. The alarm bells in her head went ignored. Putting her arms in the coat Emma held up for her and walking through the door Emma held open, Jean couldn't help but feel she was going on a date and was glad Emma walked behind her while she blushed and tried to rein in her emotions. It was a silly school girl fancy she reasoned as she willed her blush away. That was surely it, even at this time of her life, she was to succumb to the old boarding school cliché of having a pash on an older, popular girl. Sure, the ice queen was attractive but over the past few days Jean finally saw her as sensual and felt the electricity humming in the air when Emma was in a good mood and when she smiled, her face lit up so magnificently. No wonder Jean had really started to think about her as a potential friend. _A friend Jean, Gawd! _How lame.

Their sightseeing, museum hopping, fine-dining day led them to end up around ten that night at an upmarket bar in the financial district looking to relax. They positioned themselves at a small round high table and perched elegantly on two long stools while they studied the cocktail and wine list. They attracted a lot of attention for a Sunday night and Jean marvelled at how Emma deflected interest without using her telepathic abilities. She just looked so standoffish if she saw anyone approaching that said man would usually turn away or keep walking past them; though Jean knew only too well that he had intended to talk to them. She would often cast Jean a conspiratorial look and roll her eyes in mock disgust when such a man passed on by them. Then she did an extraordinary thing – she laughed. Jean thought it the most melodic thing ever. No sarcasm in it, just glee. One drink turned into several and Emma's body language relaxed until she had both elbows on the table as they leaned their heads together in light discussion. A little while later, Emma eyed two handsome young men who upon nodding their hellos came to the table and invited them in fluent English to share a bottle of champagne. Checking mentally first that it was okay with Jean, Emma accepted their offer and smiled as the two men brought over two more stools and ordered the finest bottle in the house. Jean was flattered by the male attention but was rather disappointed that her conversation with Emma was put on hold. I mean they had been having a regular conversation and it was good. But at least now she had the opportunity to watch Emma in action with the male of the species. She thought she might pick up a few tips and she surely did as Emma was witty, poised, and suggestive but not overly so, though lord knows she could have been.

As the night wore on Jean was getting tired and knew the two men, as courteous and well-bred as they were, had only one thing on their minds. She hadn't laughed so much in ages though and had enjoyed her night thoroughly but mentally sent to Emma that she was going to make her excuses and head back to the hotel to sleep. She assumed Emma would be more than happy to continue flirting and the inevitable conquest that would follow but was taken aback when she suddenly heard out loud, "Now gentlemen, I must bid you both adieu after a wonderful evening but my wife and I must return to our hotel and get some sleep before our flight tomorrow." Emma's eyes were sparkling in merriment and winking naughtily at the men. Jean's jaw mentally dropped but she kept her face still as she took in the reactions both physical and mental from the men. They tottered over their farewells and thanked them for their company, their protestations left on their tongues, but she could feel their eyes on them, their lustful thoughts unchecked as Emma linked her arm as they sauntered out of the bar.

Outside the two women fell into hysterics and Jean mock-pushed Emma from her, "really Emma a bigamist? I didn't know I had it in me!"

Emma noted that she was satisfied to see Jean wasn't against the idea of two women married just the idea that she would betray her vows. And with that last thought she found she felt even guiltier for carrying on with Scott and then she felt a little disappointed for something just beyond her comprehension for the moment. She was too sullied for the innocence Jean exuded. She sobered up a little and went back to linking Jean's arm all the way back to the hotel determined to continue Jean's good night amusing her with witty observations all the while. As they exited the elevator still linked, Jean clutched Emma's hand firmly with her free hand and thanked her earnestly for a lovely day. A poignant look flitted over Emma's face as she leaned in to kiss Jean goodnight on the cheek and card her door. Jean stood in the corridor touching her cheek before she came to her senses and whispered goodnight to the closed door. She quickly entered her own room, and in minutes, stepped out of her clothes, walked to the bathroom to wash her face and teeth, fell into bed and desperately waited for a sleep that seemed determined to elude her.

Next door, Emma laboured over the removal of her makeup while she stared at her reflection in the mirror berating herself for ever betraying Jean with her fool husband. Though they never physically touched, Emma knew that to a telepath like Jean that was just as much if not more of a betrayal. She felt she needed to wipe Scott's brain of the whole affair, but she decided she'd settle for a talk with him about never _ever_ revealing their tryst to Jean. She would even help him lock the memory away somewhere innocuous enough that Jean wouldn't stumble on it if he ever let her back into his mind. She didn't sleep well that night and quite dreaded the return to the mansion. Jean had been a revelation to her. She actually felt the woman could have been someone important to her, but she had already betrayed her. It was odious for her to feel so much, to feel actual regret where before she had mocked. _What a fool I've been… _

The others had collected Jean and Emma at the rendezvous point early on Monday morning. Too early for Jean's liking as Emma came in to drag her out of bed and she had been only wearing her lingerie, damn the woman! After throwing back the covers Emma just let a wolf whistle out and Jean was awake and moaning loudly at the rudeness of it all. But she secretly started to take pleasure that the White Queen, the object of fantasy for the entire straight male and gay female population of the school...no scratch that… the world, thought _she_ was hot. Emma threw her head back and laughed at Jean scrambling around the room, but she did have the manners to help her gather up her things and even snuck the jasmine oil into her bag for the mansion.

Scott had been pleased to see her though he looked a little worried until she had taken off her sunglasses and he could see her smile at him. As they embraced, Logan strapped himself back in his chair and muttered something to himself and Emma, watching the usual marital display, just sighed and seated herself beside Rogue at the helm.

In her Southern drawl, Rogue relayed the events from the compound and told of how Mystique had gotten away yet again by setting some self-destruct mechanism off and they had been forced to help the workers flee the area. They realised that most of the weapons had already been moved and that this was no ordinary weapon. Magneto had gathered the country's best scientists together under peril of death to their loved ones and they had drawn up the designs for a super hand held laser weapon that could incinerate humans and mutants alike in seconds. Why Magneto would want these weapons was open to speculation. They had only managed to produce 400 or so as they were highly unstable prototypes, but the workers assured them that 400 such weapons could easily kill tens of thousands before they needed to be recharged with the unstable compound Z-57 they had developed over the past few months. Mystique's prime positioning as a defence minister in the cabinet had been crucial to fund the mining and extraction of several elements needed. The weapons had a beam that could be narrowed until it could slice through almost anything and widened to a 30 degree angle so it could kill, maim or damage everything within a 10 metre radius. At its narrowest focus they had managed to achieve 35 metres distance for a kill using cattle. Rogue grimaced as she relayed the images from the firing range.

Emma and Jean listened intently to Rogue's account and Scott handed them a half-burnt prototype that hadn't had the Z-57 inserted in the chamber as yet so was harmless. Emma thought the design sleek and efficient, easy enough to conceal and she thought about what Magneto was up to…a full out attack on Xavier being on the fore front of her mind.

When they reached the mansion, Scott and Rogue went to fill the Professor and Hank in on their discovery. Emma went straight to her room and Jean hung around a bit chatting to Logan about her time with Emma.

"You know, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Jean answered to the unspoken question Logan had asked as his head dipped towards the retreating figure of Emma.

"Well you're smiling so I'd say it was better than that." Logan chuckled.

"Hah! You know me too well. Yeah…it was actually really interesting," she trailed off with a wistful smile and Logan just took another pull from his cigar as he mulled over the information. He was glad they were getting along better; God knows it had been chilly standing between them all these months and besides, he thought, Jean could use another friend if only to lessen the time she spent with one-eye.

When Scott returned to collect her, she could sense his negative emotions towards Logan who'd just said goodbye and walked off the other way when he'd smelled Scott's approach. She mentally sighed to herself that they had just been talking but ever-jealous Scott was no doubt constructing a melodramatic plot out of it all…and that cast her back to another melodramatic person she found herself missing. And that realisation caused her to gasp as Scott scooped her up in his arms and carried her to their room. The not-tonight-darling-I've-got-a-headache line flashed in her mind as she winced at Scott's obvious intentions but fobbed him off with the I-still-feel-hung-over line that was nearer the truth.

_Emma Bloody Frost!_ Jean thought as she went for a shower.

_Bloody Jean Grey_Emma thought to herself at exactly the same time - _I will have to kill her!_


	3. Chapter 3

Sympathy for the Devil

Disclaimer still applies.

Mystique reclined further into the chair drawing the newspaper up to read the front-page article, on last Sunday's X-men debacle at the munitions factory, chuckling all the while.

"Excellent work, my dear," she heard the deep resonance of his voice before he entered the room. As she peered over the top of the paper, she watched Erik stroll to the chair opposite hers. "They are such gormless fools," he added before he sat down and proceeded to pour himself some coffee.

"Why Erik, then it's hardly excellent work if they were so gullible, is it?" Mystique smiled back, her orange eyes and sharp teeth dazzling Erik's tired eyes.

"Ah, my dear Mystique, it was not my intention to contradict my erstwhile compliment. Only you, my wondrous accomplice, could have achieved such results that will leave Charles and his playthings muddling for weeks. I mean really!" Erik's eyes sparkled and complemented the scowl encroaching on his wiry lips that was as close to a smile as he could muster these days. Mystique shifted into Charles and perfectly imitated him in a pensive mood, then in a frustrated one.

"Enough Raven!" Erik grimaced openly now, the mirth taking him over, "I can't _bear_ the sight of him!" Mystique laughed and shifted back to her blue self whilst folding the paper. She reached forward to refill her cup. She used china cups and pots for tea and coffee as she didn't want Magneto being so pompous as to pour his from a metal pot. Small things like this to keep him in check she thought as he really was becoming more unhinged than usual lately.

She thought back to the months she'd spent as that idiot Minister in that gloomy office with his hideous wife flapping around all the time. She'd killed him weeks before and the night before the arrival of the X-men she had snarled at the woman that she'd kill her if she came within another two feet of her. Needless to say that night she'd slept in the guest room, but only sleeping when she had shifted back to herself and stretched out a few kinks. She was glad that events worked out the way they had as she was afraid she would have killed her 'wife' in public before long. She wondered what the woman was thinking now that her husband had officially disappeared.

That ominous Saturday night, Magneto had contacted her that all the pigeons were in place and to head for the factory the next day. It was a tricky manoeuvre to get away before they caught her but the old standby self-destruct bomb was enough to waylay the do-gooders. She was up and away in the private helicopter before they'd noticed.

What she had found out of the ordinary this time though was learning that the White Queen had been dispatched on this mission. She was almost disappointed in her that she didn't suspect a ruse when the door on the roof of the ministerial office was conveniently not alarmed and the guards were so compliant. Plus the information she had left out for them was too good to be true and well it wasn't like Frost to miss anything. Her standards had definitely fallen or she had been distracted. Anyway, it was a sub-par move and positively bored Mystique.

She glanced up at Erik wondering who was playing the mind-games with whom. She knew only too well that his main goal was to get up Charles' nose, but the fact that the X-men seemed so pitifully pathetic during the whole affair just made her wonder all the more if Erik wasn't being played by Charles. Those two certainly had their issues, no one could dispute that, but this weapon he had developed, it was worse than useless as it kept incinerating anyone holding it. The workers had been adequately threatened to relay details of the carnage it could cause but the unstable Z-57 compound was just a load of nonsense for the X-men to labour over with their 'burnt' prototype. She was sure Hank would realise it instantly. She was bored of it all, truth be told, she ached for something a little more concrete, she wanted to flex her muscles, snap a neck or two, spread her wings even if it was only metaphorically. So her mind cast back to Emma Frost as she eyed Magneto. He really was becoming a bore; he was getting sidetracked from the real threat: the Friends of Humanity. They were the justified targets as far as she was concerned and she remembered a certain White Queen sharing her sentiments. What had happened to her?

With a sigh, Mystique stood up, stretched herself out and shifted into a breath-taking Latina wearing all back and looking exceedingly up-market.

"I'm going out for a while Erik. I need to stretch my legs." Erik took her form in and pursed his lips, "Of course, dear. We all need to stretch our legs now and then." His eyes twinkled in understanding and Mystique smirked before she spun on her heel and sashayed out the door. Thinking of Erik and sex made her feel queasy for some reason. She didn't want to know how the old git satisfied his appetites. She was sure it would be excruciating.

Mystique having avoided the X-men retreated back to her number one safe destination for the last two years: Dublin, Ireland. They had rented one of the finer Georgian houses in an upmarket area and she'd even purchased some antiques to decorate her space. Nothing she couldn't leave behind. She never got attached anymore to things. Everything in life was transient to her. The great thing about Ireland though was its location on the edge of Europe, just a hop, skip and a jump to the mainland or over to the Americas. Despite the weather, people still knew how to relax. She enjoyed sitting by the fire at the safe house and when she was out in a bar in town she favoured the ones with fires to begin her night. She loved appearing as this particular Latina creation as she had no end of admirers in the local population. The locals were full of twinkling eyes brought about by drinking no doubt. The men came in all shapes and sizes and were rarely rude. The women were like dolls with their dark hair, fair skin and blue eyes and they all admired her dark, brown-eyed persona openly. There was no guile here, just appreciation for someone attractive yet friendly and more than generosity in sharing whatever they had and making conversation out of thin air. That's not to say there wasn't craftiness underlying the natives. They'd had their share of freedom fighting to last a lifetime and perhaps that's why she was more sympathetic to their cause. Though the modern Dublin was as far from that struggle as Magneto was to reality, but the undercurrent was there in certain bars she sampled. However, she knew in her heart that appearing as her blue self would not garner her the same favour as this Latina beauty.

Tonight she thought she'd try the big gay night club in the centre of the city. She loved watching the drag queens performing on stage and the feel of the music thumping through her body. Within twenty minutes she found herself outside queuing up. She was ushered in with an appreciative glance from the bouncers. The crowd pulsing along on the floor was inviting. Mystique had been isolated for too long for Erik's schemes and she felt like having someone caress her body that night. She wanted to be sought after in the night club by one of those black-haired beauties. All woman, all night long.

Soon enough Mystique was resting against the bar counter looking out at the crowd when she spotted a platinum blonde stunner with the clearest green eyes she'd ever seen. They were enhanced in the lights and Mystique wondered if she wasn't a mutant. She wore tight white jeans and a form-fitting light green and orange tank top. The colours did not go unnoticed and Mystique smiled. The woman was swaying to the music with some friends with no obvious girlfriend in sight. She stood a head above the others and when she opened her eyes Mystique made sure she caught her gazing at her. Oh well Mystique thought _the black-haired beauties can wait_. Because this woman could have been a pretender to the White Queen's throne.

**Westchester **

**Tuesday 12.30**

Having handed out her students' essays and gone through the grades with each of them, Emma was glad when the class came to an end. This time, however, they filed out of the classroom with smiles on their faces as she had made an attempt to be in good form with them today after last Tuesday's misery session and they seemed to appreciate it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jean sauntering past on her way to the staff room. _No repeat performance of last week! _She thought to herself. She gathered her books and belongings and walked out of the room. She didn't quicken her pace just hung back a little watching Jean ahead of her. She observed as students smiled their hellos to Jean and then straightened up as they saw her approaching. Emma considered the scenario. _Good cop, bad cop!_ She smirked at the realisation and proceeded towards the staff room.

Jean was by the coffee machine when she pulled up along side her. "Hello Miss Grey, how are you today?" She offered out loud. A few heads lifted from their conversations taking in the two women and waiting for the meltdown.

"I'm very well today, Miss Frost, thank you for asking." Jean smiled back and much to everyone's shock a smile started to creep across Emma's face. "Very good!" replied Emma, teeth still showing. Logan furrowed his eyebrows and bit down on his unlit cigar chuckling. Scott turned from a conversation with Hank and his jaw dropped. There they were smiling at each other, his wife and his mistress going about the coffee making like they hadn't a care in the world. His stomach started to churn. He had to talk to Emma. He quickly regained his composure when Hank called his name and didn't notice Logan eyeing him or the look of amusement that had come over his bristly face.

Jean sat down on the two-seater couch and beckoned for Emma to join her.

_Hi Emma, It's good to see you!_

_Really? _Emma perched on the edge of the cushion sipping her coffee.

_Of course! I was just __…worried that things would return to…er…normal after our trip…_

_Trip eh? __Not calling it a mission anymore then! _Emma ignored the previous statement.

_Not after the luxury, the sight-seeing, the food and the alcohol! _Jean was fully aware how ridiculous it would be to call it a mission._  
_

_Aha! I guess not!_ Emma paused a while and thought about projecting the next sentence._ You were excellent company Jean._

_Really? _Jean fumbled with her cup _You too! _

Emma's whole face lit up and Jean was invigorated by the sight.

_I considered killing you though as this civility will be the ruination of my reputation! _Emma cast her eyes around the room at their onlookers and Jean smiled. _  
_

_Err right__… I'll count my blessings for the moment but keep one eye over my shoulder…Really that would be a little dramatic, wouldn't it! _

_I thought as much plus Charles would have my head and I've become attached to it._

Jean looked at her head, indeed it was a fine specimen, and lost for a suitable retort replied:

_Thank__ you for the jasmine by the way._

_Oh you found it! _

_Yes and I mean THANK YOU, I now know it's not standard Hotel supply._

_Oh forget about it-_

_It was very tho-_

_Don't say it Grey! I'll die of mortification if anyone finds out I'm the T word!_

_What T word? Tough, thorough…terrible, terrifying, tall…__tremendous? There are so many!_

_Yes there are! Most of those are negative though!_

_But there's only one I'm thinking about you-_

Jean winked at Emma and Emma found it so endearing.

_Indeed!_

"I hate to interrupt you ladies but could I speak to you for a minute, Emma?" Scott asked in the calmest voice he could muster. Both women looked up at him and only one smiled. He had been watching their telepathic conversation and at how they looked directly into each others' eyes which were sparkling with humour. He just had to break it up and sort things out with Emma once and for all.

"Very well, Scott. What would you like to speak about?" Emma queried though she hadn't gotten up from her place beside Jean. She'd make him work for it.

"There are some departmental issues coming up and now is a good chance to clarify where you stand on the new proposals before we bring them to the table."

It was plausible enough; Jean knew he'd been working on this kind of thing recently. Jean shooed them away saying privately to Emma, _Don't be too hard on him, he is just a man after all!_

_I'll try not to break him dear, I'll leave that entirely to you!_

_In the spirit of our new found truce, I'll take that as a joke._

With that Emma spun around and looked Jean right in the face and said out loud, "On my word, whatever that's worth to you, it was." She turned and walked out after Scott. Jean was stunned by the sudden seriousness of Emma's tone. She knew it had been a joke but realised they were so new to this that it was easy to be uncertain of each other. Venom had spilled so easily from Emma's mouth for so long that it left Jean wondering about the younger Emma. What had she been like? What was her family like? Where did she go to school? She found herself wanting to know that bit more about the White Queen_. I mean you weren't __**born**__ the White Queen, were you Emma? What changed you then and what has changed you back to this this_…? She could not find the words to articulate what she was feeling. She just knew that she hadn't wanted Emma to leave just then.

When classes resumed, Jean refocused herself to the tasks at hand and pushed any thoughts of her budding whatever-it-was with Emma Frost out of her mind.

Scott led Emma to his office where he entered first then shut the door behind her. They proceeded to have the conversation that neither of them wanted and Scott reluctantly agreed to allow Emma help him to hide away the affair. He was terrified to do this since his mind had already been violated so much, but he was even more afraid of losing Jean and so with veiled threats to Emma not to play around in his head, he let her guide him through the memory repressing technique she had perfected. He knew that eventually he would let Jean back into his mind and he wanted the purity of his pre-Emma dalliance restored. Emma thought him an absolute hypocrite, then caught herself in the mirror on the wall and was disgusted to see her own hypocritical reflection sneering back at her. She wasn't doing this for Scott though he thanked her afterward; she was doing this so she wouldn't fall down in Jean's opinion. Jean's estimation had come to mean something in such a short time. It was a purely selfish move to help Scott and she detested herself for getting into this mess and then she loathed herself for this coward she'd become. The White Queen turned in her grave.

Before she left his office she spoke the trigger-word that would clean Scott's memory and leave him think they had actually discussed English department nonsense. She even held back from taking some sort of revenge on him and this she did for Jean's sake. She said goodbye then and walked briskly from his office and straight to her room, thankful she never worked Tuesday afternoons.

Lying on her bed sometime later she cast her mind back to the events of the previous week. From Jean's attempt to comfort her, to the mission, to the wonderful few days in Jean's uncomplicated company, right up to the present moment and the last conversation they'd had. She truly didn't want Jean to be afraid she'd fall back into her usual harsh ways with her. That whole feeling had evaporated the moment she felt Jean's telekinetic force lift her to the roof of the ministerial building. Dropping from the plane had been different, noisy and quick, but ascending the dark, quiet alley after Jean's little joke and feeling the Phoenix power just brimming beneath the surface, Emma had felt respectful of Jean's plight and how she managed it with grace. She had even thanked Jean much to Jean's surprise.

No, Emma Frost knew she was in trouble. She recognised the symptoms and was only too aware that there really was no cure. She pulled a pillow over her eyes and remembered the way she had felt about Ian all those years ago. The same butterflies were winging their way back. Jean was bringing her back to the old days, to the young Emma's hopes and dreams. Far away from her parents, Adrienne and Cordelia but back to those tentative days of the first crush and the wonderful relationship with her brother Christian. Jean was wiping the foul years' stench from her nostrils and making her yearn for something she had always wanted; love. Emma dropped the pillow from her face and froze in fear. This could not be happening. It was a disaster of epic proportions. There was no way she could ever reveal this to Jean. Jean would never leave Scott or betray him. Christ she was going to have to hitch her wagon to Logan's and pine for her from afar. Just like the past. It was an untenable situation.

Within minutes Emma sat up and swung her legs from the bed and started pacing her room. _No! This can't happen. For God's sake Emma get a grip. You are the White Queen for Heaven's sake! You've been ruthless, evil, despicable, unforgivable, monstrous, so horrible, so angry. I can't slip now. I won't go back to being that exposed. She can't…love me. Get over it Emma NOW!_ Emma's fury overtook her and she flung her recently acquired antique chair against the far wall relishing in the crashing sound as a vase, some books and her jewellery box were knocked off the side table. She stood there seething in her revelation until she slumped down on the floor and ran her fingers through the thick carpet. She gripped it fiercely, her temper overtaking her. _No! No! Emma this won't do! This will be your undoing. _The thought occurred to her that if Jean died on a mission that she would be free. Actually that was out of the question now. Scott, yes Scott should really have an accident or something…or her. This was ridiculous, farcical even. Emma Frost did not do crushes. No, she crushed others into a pulp. That's the natural order of things, she thought, no room for weakness. No room for this.

**Two Weeks Later**

Despite having assured her that their hostilities had ceased, Jean hadn't seen very much of Emma since that coffee in the staff room. At first she thought Scott had said something to her but he genuinely didn't recall anything other than school business. It seemed very odd to Jean but she muddled along anyway wondering how she could wangle an evening alone with Emma to go for dinner or something. She missed her company and she really liked the high end lifestyle Emma was used to. _ I should just come out and ask her_ she thought and it took her two full weeks to get the courage to do so. In the mean time, she noticed that Emma was always rushing off to do something as soon as she stepped into the staff room. She always saluted her but she was completely preoccupied and Jean wondered why. She thought of asking her but didn't feel they were at that stage yet. So one Thursday on the way back from lunch, before the students came in, she spotted Emma walking into an empty classroom. Knocking lightly at the open door, she waited as Emma lifted her head from her book and smiled at her.

_Come in. _Emma had opted for a completely telepathic conversation and Jean was happy about this._  
_

_Thanks Emma, how are you?_

_I'm okay Jean and you? _Jean braced herself as she continued.

_A little confused actually-_

_How so? _

Jean paused a moment to look around the room.

_Have you been avoiding me?_

_I certainly don't avoid people__, Jean! I've just been under some pressure with the company and school. It's idiotic really but quite necessary…_

_Oh__…I'm sorry. Of course you're busy. I keep forgetting you run the company as well as all this. You must feel so thinly spread sometimes._

No innuendo even occurred to Emma with that nugget and that surprised Jean.

_I'd better leave you to it so-_

_But did you want something when you came in?_

_Ah nothing, don't worry about it._

_No Jean, tell me…_ Emma's eyes twinkled and Jean opened up to them.

_Okay…I was wondering…if you'd like to go out for…dinner __…some time._

_Oh- _was all Emma could think of to say. She looked visibly awkward.

_Look it's okay if you're too busy. The offer's out there anyway._ Jean mumbled telepathically if that was possible.

Emma just looked at her, mouth slightly open trying to think of something to say to the one person she really had been avoiding. This really wouldn't do.

_Really __Emma it's okay. I'd better head to class; I can hear the monkeys returning. Have a good day._

_You too, bye._

For the second time in a month, Jean left Emma's office feeling furious for making an idiot of herself. Now, however, it was for entirely different reasons. How could it be that hard to ask a maybe friend out to dinner! She felt like a teenage boy being turned down for the prom and that shocked her. She hadn't been aware she was minus a prom date before asking and that made her flip. This was getting way too confusing. Where was Storm when she needed her! Not that she'd understand, Storm's head would explode or a bolt of lightening would strike Jean's derriere if she told Storm she was interested in Emma. Oh God, there it was out in the open, she was interested in Emma. Interested as a friend? Was she attracted to her? This was not good. She felt a wave of guilt concerning Scott and then another one concerning Logan. It was just too surreal. She went back to her classroom and busied herself with the day's lesson. Students started pouring in all rambunctious and sweaty but they were a welcome distraction and they carried the scent of fresh air with them which jolted her back to reality.

When classes were over for the day, Jean returned to her little office to drop off her books and markers. There on her desk was a large glass vase with around twenty large exquisite white roses nestled together. The vase was wrapped in a thin scarf of white silk with a card hanging from it. It read simply:

_Free Tomorrow?_

Jean inhaled the scent of the roses down deeply and held it inside for as long as she could. This was altogether too confusing.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for taking the time to review

**Dublin, Ireland.**

**Several weeks ago**

"Where the devil have you been?" Erik almost bellowed when he saw the figure before him. Mystique stumbled further into the hall and collapsed with a thud in front of him. "Raven? Raven!" When he got no reply, he alerted the guards downstairs and stood over her crumpled form, "Oh do pull yourself together woman!"

Several hours later, Mystique opened her eyes and tried to focus on the figure beside her, "Erik?" She tried to sit up.

She saw the dark look on his face. "You have no idea, do you?" he began dryly. "You've been missing for three days. What do you remember?"

Mystique was wide awake now. "What!" She cried, her eyes flashing in horror. She tried desperately to recall the events from the night before.

"I don't know…I remember talking to you…being…in a night club, flashing lights, pounding music and bright green eyes and then…then I'm walking through the door and you're shouting at me…I-"

"Good Lord, Raven. That was three days ago…What have you done?"

Mystique could offer no more coherent explanation than she had already. She was beyond tired listening to him but when she closed her eyes, two bright green echoes were imprinted on her eyelids and she had to open her eyes quickly to get rid of the image searing through.

"Right, let's get moving," Erik began in a low grumble, "This location has been compromised."

"Erik, I've barely woken up. I agree with you but I've hardly the energy to move."

"Nonsense, what do you think we employ the men for? You shall be escorted to the car my dear and then to the plane until we reach our next refuge…"

"And where would that be?" Mystique eyed him curiously.

"In the eye of the storm. He'll never look for us there." Erik seemed pleased with this.

"You mean New York! You are seriously mad if you think 'hiding' in Xavier's plain sight will work. He's not that gauche Erik."

"On the contrary my dear, Charles would never imagine that we'd risk being right under his nose and I disagree, he's as inept as they come."

"I still need to work out what happened here Erik. That's not going to go away. We may still have to deal with the fall out." She neglected to mention the imprint on her eyes when she shut them.

"There is no _we_ in this Raven if you were uncouth enough to be discovered on this remote rock…"

Magneto's tone didn't sit well with Mystique but she allowed him to continue his relocation plans with the men downstairs while she devised her own strategy. There were very few telepaths who could enter her head. Those terrifying eyes now forced her into a state of panic. She would not sleep until she was rid of them. She needed help and she knew just the woman to go to…someone she could coerce if needs be.

**Westchester, NY**

**Friday morning**

There was a light knock on the door of the office Emma had commandeered for Exam preparation.

"Come in." she called out abruptly. She had papers to finish and was a little tense about her appointment with Jean that night. The night before around seven, Jean had finally contacted her telepathically to accept her invitation to meet today. She had to run it by Scott first, Emma thought wryly. But Jean had accepted - even after the brush off by Emma when she had approached her a few hours before. Replying to Jean, Emma just let her know what time to be ready and left it at that. To be honest, she hadn't decided what they would do when she sent the flowers she just realised that she did want to spend more time with Jean, logic be damned. What exactly Jean was expecting was making her a little anxious. The opening of the door pulled her from the thoughts that had distracted her from her paper work all morning.

A young girl walked in, "Miss Frost, may I speak with you?" She asked shyly. She was not someone Emma recognised and Emma said quickly, "Who are you?"

"Flora, I've just transferred here."

"Oh really?" Emma's innately suspicious nature got the better of her. "I've heard of no new recruits. Then again that's hardly surprising these days. What can I do for you?"

"The professor told me you have psionic abilities and he directed me here to ask you for help."

"And why couldn't he do it?"

"He says he's quite busy with something and he wanted to talk to a doctor McCoy about something." Emma sighed audibly. Typical.

"I see. Very well Flora, take a seat. What can I do for you then?"

Flora took the seat offered and smiled at Emma. "I have a problem. Something definitely related to psionic or telepathic powers but quite unlike anything I've experienced before or have even heard about."

"You're a telepath then?" Emma asked trying to probe the girl's mind.

"No, I have other abilities, Miss Frost." Emma met strong mental resistance,

"But you have very well developed shields for someone so young."

"Yes, I've been working on them at home with my telepathic brother." Emma knew this was a lie. She now had to figure out how to get away from behind the table where she was a sitting duck. She hesitated calling for Jean or any X-Man though as the approach of this little infiltrator intrigued her. She felt no immediate danger.

"Well that's good. What sort of problem do you require my help with?"

"I have lost part of my memory, well the memory of three days to be exact…and when I close my eyes I can see bright green eyes on the inside of the lids. They are always there, in my dreams and when I'm awake. I was wondering if you could help figure out what happened to me."

"It would involve you dropping your shields," Emma was definitely intrigued now.

"I know, Miss Frost. I will drop them once I know you will help me."

"How long has this been going on?"

"For the past three weeks or so."

"Let's see then, do you want to make an appointment for tomorrow and we'll start the process?"

"No, I want to do it now." Flora eyed Emma confidently.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, it could take hours and I've too much work to do this afternoon."

"What about after work?" Emma saw the desperation seeping through. Who was this girl?

"I have other plans, Flora."

"Miss Frost this is urgent."

"I understand Flora but you have lasted three weeks so far, you can wait until tomorrow." Emma was bristling now. "Tomorrow at two, Flora."

"NO!"

"Excuse me?"

"I said no, Emma!" The voice had changed into an all too recognizable one.

Emma stood up quickly and edged towards the door keeping her self turned towards the girl. "What the hell are you doing here? "

Flora stood up and her eyes became orange and all too familiar.

"Relax Emma. I bear you no ill will. No need to go calling the X-Muppets just yet."

"Mystique! What on earth are you doing here? I mean _here_ of all places!" Emma relaxed her shoulders a little but still edged towards the door.

"Oh Emma, do sit down and stop being such a bore. I need your help and you owe me a favour," Mystique's voice was firm and all business something Emma understood too well.

"What do I owe you, Mystique? Our affiliation ended years ago." Emma had regained control of her sarcasm. She shut the door behind her and faced the intruder.

"Our affiliation?" Mystique shifted back to her blue self, mirth evident in her eyes. "It's that what you're calling it now?"

Emma stopped moving, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Mystique continued, "You owe me a debt for my silence, Emma, as I know only too well how Adrienne met her end despite what the official reports say."

Emma blanched and walked back to her seat at the desk.

"Make it snappy, Mystique, what do you want?" Emma said haughtily.

"Exactly as I just told you, Emma…there is someone else in here with me," she said tapping her finger to her head. "You're one of the best telepaths I know for exactly this sort of thing and let's face it Xavier would spontaneously combust if I asked for his help and well Jean Grey is a goody two shoes." Mystique, always aware of people's facial expressions, noticed the slight colour on Emma's cheeks and her pupils dilating a fraction when she mentioned Jean Grey. Emma to anyone else looked just as cool, calm and collected but a good shape-shifter was a body virtuoso and detected the subtle changes in light and shade on the skin plus her eyesight was keener and slightly augmented everything. She held the observation for further use. "Well Frost, are you going to help me or will I have to kill you here?"

"I guess I'll have to help you then. I have to cancel something first."

"Alert anyone and I kill you, try to disable me telepathically when my mind is open and I'll be sure to kill you the first chance I get. Tinker around in there and I'll maim and then kill you."

"No need for theatrics, Mystique, I get your point." Emma replied angrily. "I just have to tell Jean that-" and with that Emma shut up as she again saw the mirth rising in Mystique's face and realised she had gone one word too far. Mystique threw her head back and laughed, then brought her eyes back to Emma. "Is this what you're doing later?" She asked whilst changing into the uniformed Jean Grey and smiling Jean's big smile.

"Stop it!" Emma snarled, "If you want me to help you, just stop it now."

Mystique didn't stop but changed Jean from her uniform to an elegantly cut brown cocktail dress, "Or would you prefer your Grey served like this?" Mystique joked while whispering seductively in Jean's voice.

"Forget it Mystique, I can't help you if you keep acting like this."

With that Mystique shifted back to herself and sat down. Fun was over. Emma was livid.

**Later that evening.**

Jean looked over her wardrobe for the umpteenth time and still didn't know what to wear. Emma hadn't given her any indication of where they were going and she didn't want to appear over or under dressed. That would be so embarrassing. Typical Emma to expect her to know. She was so apprehensive about being alone again with Emma that she decided to bite the bullet and contacted Emma telepathically.

_Emma?_

No answer.

_Emma?_

Still no answer which was strange as she sensed Emma was still at the mansion.

_Emma, is everything alright?_

_Yes Jean, everything's fine…I just dozed off there… _Jean arched an eyebrow at the strange statement but decided to ignore it and continued.

_Oh…listen I was __wondering whether tonight's dress code might be revealed in advance as I really don't know where we're going._

_Ah Jean…I'm…I'm sorry to spring this on you so late darling, but something rather…urgent just came up and I'm afraid I'll have to take a rain check._

_Oh I see…_

_Really Jean this is unavoidable._

_Don't worry Emma, I understand. _Emma could feel the hint of hurt and anger in the astral voice.

_No__, you don't Jean. I would like nothing else than to go out with you tonight…I just can't. It's beyond my control._

Silence.

_Jean? _

_It's okay Emma. Another time._

Jean broke the mental link and slumped down on her bed. She felt the wind had been taken out of her sails and found that she was more mixed up than ever by Emma's constant mood changes. Did she want to meet her or not? Why ask her out so sweetly yesterday with the flowers, and then retract it today? What could possibly have come up? And did Emma doze? It seemed unlikely, the woman was always wired. And why, oh why was she thinking about this so much? It was just a dinner date, probably, and they could reschedule. Why had she acted like she'd been snubbed? Emma had seemed genuine. Genuine? Ha! Jean had to remember it was Emma Frost. Was she perhaps just out to humiliate Jean after all?

These thoughts wormed their way into her mind for the next few hours before Scott came into the room. She told him she wouldn't be going out after all, that something had come up for Emma. She felt like a small child suddenly telling her parent that she had no friends and almost groaned with mild horror as she looked at her husband. He seemed a little too happy that she was staying in tonight and she let him fetch her a cup of coffee and bun from the kitchen while she changed into her comfy clothes. She walked over to the television and found a DVD she had wanted to see. When Scott came back, he changed in to a track pants and t-shirt and sat beside her against the head board as the movie started. He was grateful that Jean hadn't gone out with Emma. It was just too awkward seeing those two getting closer. He wondered what Emma's game was and how he might thwart her. He did acknowledge the excellent work she'd done on his memory though but it still worried him that her intentions were to expose him and hurt Jean. He thought about their meeting the other day. Emma had cleverly suggested temporarily wiping the memory of what they had been doing for a day or two after she worked on his memory of their affair. It was complicated but she was ever cautious that Jean or Charles might dip about in Scott's mind if they were suspicious about why he and Emma were discussing school. Paranoid Emma. Thankful Scott. He turned his mind inward and away from the movie Jean was engrossed in.

Emma had rather cleverly gathered up the memory of their psychic affair and placed it within the shape of a door which, with his help, she inserted into a fairly innocuous memory from his childhood. A happy one that Jean would have already witnessed and would not be likely to search through again when he let her back into his mind. The extra door matched the other one in the room and Emma had watched the young Scott playing contentedly on the ground with a new toy car wondering what it was about the moment from that time to the present that made people the idiots they were as adults. She had then looked about the room wondering what Jean had thought when she was there watching the same scene. The irony of the situation swept over Emma's astral self that there she was thinking of the _wife _of the man whose head she was inside trying to cover up the evidence of their _own_ torrid little affair. She rued the day she had overstepped the boundary with him because it had certainly made things uncomfortable around the mansion. She was glad he allowed her to work on his mind considering what happened to him and she thought she'd done a more than adequate job. The truly ingenious part she concocted was that when Scott was joined psychically by any other person, the door would automatically appear and he would forget everything related to that time with Emma. If he was alone in his thoughts then the memory would reappear.

Scott slung his arm around Jean and gathered her in close to him. She snuggled up and paid no attention to the screen. She felt enormously guilty for secretly wishing she was in some fancy restaurant being amused by Emma. Then she wondered if she was using Emma for the lifestyle and had to admit just going for a walk along the river and talking would be equally as nice. Something had changed inside Jean and the more tightly she clung to Scott, the more obvious it became to her that she was playing it safe because the alternative would be devastating, not only to the marriage, but to the school and the X-men. Why did they have to eat, sleep, work, relax and socialise within the boundaries of the mansion? For once Jean wanted to spread her wings but as soon as she 'voiced' that in her mind, she quelled any thoughts of the Phoenix within and the wings of fire that yearned for freedom. She sat up. A revelation during the credits of the movie; was the Phoenix ebbing through the barriers making her want to be around someone as impossible yet exciting as Emma Frost? Did the Phoenix, yearning for freedom, make her want more than this life within the walls of the mansion? More than the same faces day in day out when she had always felt perfectly content there before the Phoenix saga?

She jumped out of bed and proceeded to change her clothes again.

"Where are you going at this time of the night?" Scott asked when he saw his wife furiously changing into her training gear.

"I need to get some fresh air honey. I'll just go for a quick run and I'll be back before you know it. You go to bed if you like, sweetie." She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the forehead and headed out the door. Scott was perplexed and waited uneasily for her return.

Emma had been working on Mystique's mind for the past several hours to no avail. She'd learned of the hideaway in Ireland and concluded that this was the work of an Irish mutant. But that wasn't absolutely sure. She met the resistance from the neon lime eyes which she saw quite clearly as they piggy-backed on Mystique's own brainwaves. She concluded that the presence was using its host as a spy vessel. But that was negated by the obvious eyes emblazoned on the inner eyelids. This person wanted to be seen, yet wanted to observe everything it could too. It didn't make much sense. While she was in there she saw Magneto and learned of the mind games he was playing with Charles. She learned too that Mystique was bored of the whole thing and just wanted to target her real enemy; the FOH. But that more surprising that Mystique had been disappointed that Emma hadn't realised what a hoax it all was on the last mission. Emma grimaced and realised she had been far too distracted trying to make an impression on Jean to care about such things as obvious clues! Right now, she missed Jean and wished they were sitting at a table drinking a heady wine, nibbling at some grotesquely over-priced caviar and smiling at each other. She felt so girlish about the whole thing and that astonished her. None of the guile and artifice of her previous relationships. Here was the closest to friendship with another telepath since Astrid Bloom had betrayed her. She knew Jean was nothing like Astrid but she wondered if Jean was as confused by the sudden shift in their relationship as she was.

When Mystique had used good old fashioned blackmail to get Emma to work on her, all it really did was trigger the recognition of the fact that she wasn't 'clean' enough for Jean. She had murdered her own sister so how could she be loved by someone as innately good as Jean.

_If she knew half of the th__ings I've done, she'd run a mile. _Emma thought bitterly.

Perhaps Mystique came at the perfect time so that she didn't go conceitedly out into the world tonight with Jean at her side only to be rejected later on and despised. She knew she couldn't bear to be despised by Jean now. She needed so much more and they really needed to talk about this thing starting up between them.

_Maybe I should come clean, put my cards on the table _she mused.

The most complicated thing between two women, two colleagues, was the fine line between risking exposing your feelings not knowing if they're just heightened friendship bonds or more…and it was that _more_ that distracted Emma whilst inside Mystique's mind.

Mystique pulled her out of her reverie, asking if she was done yet. Emma withdrew from her mind and told Mystique that she honestly did not know how to disentangle the interloper from her mind. She would need Xavier or Jean to help her out.

"I can't see them running to my aid, no can you?"

"I don't know…perhaps, if you say you will change sides. I know that Magneto isn't the huge threat we thought he was. She neglected to mention Mystique's opinion of the Emma's decline in professional standards. You might form an alliance of sorts with Charles in return for his help. He is all about redemption darling, don't you know." She gestured towards herself, "case in point right here before you."

"I'm not sure Emma." With that Mystique changed back into the young Flora guise before taking her leave.

"Think about it Mystique. I'll talk to Charles in the morning."

"And then?"

"And then you can contact me on Monday and I'll let you know what he decides."

"Thank you," Mystique was genuine.

"And my secret is safe?" Emma had to ask.

"Which secret would that be?" With that she changed again into an angry Adrienne before changing into a demure Jean Grey. Emma nearly fainted when she saw her sister and the guilt for murdering her finally resurfaced. How did Mystique know what she looked like? Not that she hadn't deserved it but still it was her sister. The sight of Jean did little to calm her nerves and she was happy when Mystique as Flora walked out of the office. Mystique's message was devastatingly clear.

She fell back into her chair trying desperately to regain her composure. She sat there for a while looking down at the work she hadn't finished and though she was exhausted she set about picking up where she had left off when she had been interrupted. A while later she heard another light knock at the door. Checking her watch she saw it was around 11:30pm.

"Yes? What is it this time?"

She turned and gulped as Jean walked through the door in a sweaty track suit.

"Is it you?" She asked.

"Is it me?" Jean looked baffled. "Yes Emma, It's me." She reached out and caressed the side of Emma's mental shields with her powerful mind. "What's wrong?" She asked when she saw Emma suddenly relax.

"We need to talk Jean."

"I know…that's why I'm here."

"I mean I need to talk about what really happened to our date tonight."

Jean's eyes opened slightly wider than usual taking in the word and letting it run riot but before she could respond Emma added: "Mystique was here. In fact she just left. That's why I had to be sure it was really you."

Jean didn't stop to wonder why Mystique would impersonate her as she was already moving towards Emma to lay her hand on her shoulder and looked earnestly into her eyes, "Are you ok, Em? She asked worried.

Emma looked straight up into her eyes, and Jean admired their blue depths. She felt she could see inside her soul and it was a beautiful painful moment to her.

"I'm ok, don't worry." But Jean did worry as Emma's eyes filled with tears.

"Oh Jean!" She sighed as Jean pulled her in towards her and held her.

"Shhssh…Emma. Everything's alright now. I'm here."

With those words Emma clung tightly around Jean's waist, existing only in the moment, feeling raw and exposed under the weight of Jean's kindness.

"What a mess!" She mumbled into Jean's Hoodie. Jean moved Emma back and raised her chin with her hand, "I'm here for you…talk to me."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer still applies. Thanks for the reviews for the previous chapters, they're really encouraging.

Emma maintained her grip around Jean's midsection where she had buried her face and allowed the racks and sobs to come out for that last few moments. She released some of the tightly controlled remorse she held regarding just about everything that had turned sordid in her life since she was a young girl. And unable to utter a single word after Jean had lifted her chin, she just buried her face into the reassuring soft fabric again and allowed Jean's arms to drape around her shoulders. Then it seemed all at once she realised what she was doing and stilled her pathetic sobs. Her mind dropped the proverbial wall down between her emotions and her outward appearance and without conscious thought she transformed into her diamond form in Jean's arms. Jean inwardly sighed when she felt the change and released Emma. Taking a small step out of her personal space, she watched as Emma could not meet her eyes and instead focused on the table in front of her. She knew the situation could spiral out of all control, that Emma had gone into defence mode and that niggling at her now to drop her defences would be pointless.

Standing there embracing the sitting, sobbing Emma was the last thing Jean expected to be doing when she decided to bite the bullet and approach Emma that night. But all other concerns had flown out the window when she saw Emma's upset and heard the name Mystique. Ascertaining there was no immediate threat from the blue shape shifter, her nurturing nature took over and she immediately embraced the seated figure before her. No longer concerned about the moniker White Queen as the woman in her arms her was an innocent in that moment and Jean felt overwhelmingly protective about her. All concerns evaporated. Now they were back with a vengeance. Emma would most likely react badly to the situation. Jean considered walking away and letting her calm down. But she thought that maybe people didn't really stick around when Emma was emotional or angry, usually people ran from her. They expected her rage and vitriol, but Jean risked waiting for Emma's words in this moment. She would listen to the anger and then give Emma a piece of her mind.

Emma slowly came around from her seeming stupor and immediately missed the warmth of the connection with Jean but knew it was time to break the contact. She had to take control again. This she did but with none of the expected prickliness Jean was braced for. Emma raised her impossibly beautiful diamond head and looked straight into Jean's eyes. Jean felt her heart skip a beat at the pain there.

"I'm sorry, Jean…Thank you," She said softly, unable to look into Jean's striking green eyes anymore. Jean stepped back a little more and thought about her next words. It was time to move on, to get Emma back in touch with the reason they were there. To release the panic from their intimate moment and to get her to revert back from her diamond form.

"Emma, you said you wanted to talk about what happened with Mystique."

Emma, glad that she had a way to bring it back to business without it turning into a simpering blub-fest, took a deep breath and looked up at Jean with an appreciative smile.

_This woman is __so polished_ _she'll let me go at my own pace _Emma reflected. Adding to herself when she really looked at Jean _My god she is a simply breath-taking being! How could I have been so blind?_

Emma willed her flesh and blood, skin and bone back and looked almost bashfully up at Jean. Emma didn't do bashful anymore. No words were needed. Jean was graceful enough to ignore it.

Sitting into the chair opposite Emma, Jean waited for what was sure to be an interesting story.

The next morning Emma woke up with a feeling of panic when she replayed events from the night before. After Emma had explained the purpose of Mystique's visit, Jean had suggested they go to the kitchen. There she sat at the counter and watched as Jean got two cups of camomile tea ready and sat down opposite her. They had agreed to meet later that morning after some sleep to go to Charles' rooms and tell him about Mystique's predicament yet neither of them seemed ready to leave the other just then.

Eventually Jean placed her cup on the counter and came straight out with it.

"Why has Mystique got you so anxious? What is she holding over you?"

Emma's normal response would have been ire but she was beyond that now.

"Enough to end my life here," was all Emma said as she stared down at her cup, swishing about the remnants of the tea.

"Oh," was all Jean could reply as the sudden consternation of a life without Emma in it became clear. "Is it really that awful?" she asked rather naively.

Emma looked up from her cup and in the low light of the kitchen one sparkling pair of ice blue eyes looked forlornly into Jean's green ones.

"I'm beyond redemption," she whispered flatly.

Jean wasn't surprised at the honesty. This Emma was closer to the real Emma she could see beneath the surface and after all these years she understood the weight of responsibility and the privilege to witness someone's soul as it was baring itself. She could sense Emma was about to do just that so she kept her reactions in check. Whatever it was they would cope with it.

Emma hesitated and fought hard not to spill herself out so freely. Jean was like an irresistible force of nature and then Emma smiled. With the Phoenix inside her she _was_ a force of nature. Jean saw the smile and reached over to put her hand on Emma's. It was the lightest of gestures but it gave Emma such courage. A current passed between them. She looked down to where Jean's hand rested on top of hers and turned her hand around until her fingers were holding Jean's.

"Thank you Jean Grey. You are a lady through and through."

Jean blushed and lowered her eyes for a moment but then brought them up to look back at that striking face.

"As are you," Jean replied earnestly but Emma withdrew her hand then and folded it around her other one.

"I'm afraid I've made rather a mess of everything and skewered the possibility long ago of ever being considered a lady…" she straightened up for the next part, "Jean, I'm in trouble and it's not the Good-Lord-it's-Mystique! kind-of-trouble-"

"Oh?"

"…no, it's the Jean-Grey-effect kind-of-trouble…you're just too damned…good and I'm too… corrupted, dirtied, unclean…to sit here with you. I'm irredeemable! Though for the first time in my life, I wish I could turn back the clock and be the honourable woman I should have been…" Jean let her talk but held her hand out on the table beckoning for Emma to give back hers which she did hesitantly, "but I…I…Oh Jean I can't ruin this moment!"

Jean took both of Emma's hands now and held them firmly over the counter, "You only think that, have a little faith in me, Emma!"

Emma let the small tears of worry well up in her eyes, "but if you knew the real me, you wouldn't say that!"

"And Emma, if you knew the real _me _you wouldn't believe it!"

"Oh Jean I'm so thoughtless! ! You're going through your own sort of hell, aren't you?"

Jean nodded and allowed the flames inside to show through her eyes and her voice changed until it echoed around Emma's head,

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHITE QUEEN OF THE FURIES AND BATTLES TO CONTAIN THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS!"

Emma gasped openly at the revelation as Jean subdued the fire in her eyes and regained the normal modulation of her voice.

"Emma, we are neither of us without sin, without blame, without guilt! As the Phoenix fire devours me I am capable of infinite destruction and I have destroyed with the merest of thoughts."

Emma believed her and understood the importance of Jean's display. Here was no shrinking violet, no do-gooder, here before her was the most courageous and powerful woman, the most dangerous being, she had ever or would ever meet.

"You're magnificent!" She blurted out suddenly and then broke their linked hands.

They looked into each others' eyes for what seemed like ages until Emma spoke.

"But this is a conversation for another day, darling…Let's go get some sleep and meet here again at 9am. Come with me to Charles and then…spend some time with me away from here." She gestured around at the room. "I know there's much to say but for tonight know that I _respect_ you Jean Grey and that I cherish this connection between us." It was so grave and solemn but also hinted at the possible loss of the newfound connection upon revelation's tongue. Jean understood what Emma meant.

"I will be here. And whatever happens we'll face it together."

With those words, Jean stood up as Emma did and as they parted outside the kitchen door, Jean brushed the back of her fingers along the side of Emma's face and then leaned in and kissed Emma lightly on the cheek saying, "Courage and strength are your allies…as am I." Jean smiled a wistful smile and turned to leave. Emma paused for a moment as if in mid air and then touched her cheek which burned where Jean's lips had touched it, for those ever waiting flames had seemed to reach through to her skin from the very depths of Jean.

"Goodnight my transcendent guardian angel," she whispered as Jean walked away. Back to Scott and her life Emma thought ruefully as she turned towards her room.

There along the long dark corridors to her wing of the mansion Emma walked slowly towards not away from her fate; bracing herself for the revelations to come when she was alone in the privacy of her room. It was clear to her now…Jean Grey was her destiny. Her providence and somehow she had to figure out how to deal with this bombshell in her hands. This, whatever it was, had the potential to royally mess everything up. Too much static, too many variables, too much to lose. There would be no sleep for the White Queen tonight…

**To be continued…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Late Monday N****ight **

The Phoenix tore mercilessly around inside Emma's mind scorching and screeching its way through every fibre of memory contained inside the White Queen's head. The rage and the fire consumed Jean as she pinned Emma telepathically to the ceiling.

"**I will destroy you! Cleave your mind in two and incinerate you!"**

Emma could not speak as she gaped at the burning angel of death below her willing only that she make it quick.

"**This diamond form will not save you, wretch!"** She shrieked again inside Emma's head. About them there was only silence but the scene was horrific. Jean stood there under complete control of the Dark Phoenix, totally engulfed in flames which licked at her skin like lovers' tongues as her eyes burned into Emma's diamond ones. The look of anger was beyond description and Emma could feel the hatred burrowing into her. She closed her eyes tightly against the awe-filled but terrible beauty of the possessed Jean Grey.

She met her on the astral plane as the Phoenix loomed large on the vast arid expanse Emma conjured up to defend herself. Emma stood infinitesimally small but in fighter's ready position and tried to outmanoeuvre the Phoenix before her. She had taken the risk to open up her past, her mind. But now she was in serious trouble and the very woman she now yearned for would more than likely kill her.

**Earlier**** that day**

As planned, Emma and Jean met at breakfast then walked together to Charles' office on the ground floor. They waited until he called them in and then sat gravely across from him as Emma relayed her encounter with Mystique.

Emma observed Charles' reaction to her report on Mystique's visit; he received it with more than clinical attachment, she thought. Jean was earnestly debating the pros and cons of working with Mystique and this let Emma watch the minute changes in his facial expressions. Her alarm bells started ringing and she instinctively felt that Charles already knew this story of the green-eyed spy lurking in Mystique's mind. So Emma did what she did best.

"Charles, do you know something about Mystique's gatecrasher that you are neglecting to tell us?" She caught him flinch just a fraction as his attention was drawn from Jean. Jean turned her head at being interrupted but kept her eyes on him. His silence spoke volumes and she echoed Emma's words "Do you Professor?"

Xavier took a long breath and wheeled himself over to the window looking out onto the grounds. He kept his back to the two women who were looking at each other now. After a lengthy pause he spoke quietly but with carefully chosen words.

"You were not supposed to discover that, but as always Emma, I underestimated you." He turned his chair to face them and took in the look of incredulity from Jean.

"These events are not by coincidence, no." he said flatly as he met each of their stares in a way that said let that be it.

"But professor?" questioned Jean.

Emma, having been inside Mystique's mind for a time, decided to speak.

"Do you know of Magneto's sabre-rattling, Charles?"

He looked at her and replied, "I am quite aware of his mental health if that is what you mean. I cannot say it doesn't trouble me."

"Well it shouldn't, from what I gathered in Mystique's mind he is now a decrepit old fool intent on being a thorn in your side. It's a rather humiliating end to such greatness." Emma said haughtily hinting at her arrogance.

"That's enough Emma!" Charles suddenly boomed telepathically and even Jean could feel the shock waves rolling from the astral assault. Then out loud he followed. "Forgive me, Emma. Erik is a subject I would rather not discuss with you."

Emma flinched having experienced his power. Jean pressed on,

"But professor, what you did to Mystique…it doesn't seem like you at all." she said almost miserably.

Emma sneered and turned to Jean then and said,

"He wants to contain her, Jean, at any cost. She would never come willingly as I did so he took advantage of an opportunity that came his way. I would venture it was by chance that this mysterious mutant contacted you and told you she had Mystique? Am I getting warm Charles?"

Charles pursed his lips in frustrated admiration.

"Yes Emma. I have certain contacts in Ireland as I do all over Europe and it was they or rather she who contacted me early that Saturday morning."

"And you hatched this plot to have Mystique come here, through your gates, up the path and into your grasp."

"Well yes though I wouldn't have termed it quite so..."

"Accurately," Jean finished for him the look of disgust evident on her face. "I never would have believed Professor that you would have agreed that someone's mind be so violated and tampered with!" She finished indignantly. However, the countless times he had done just that seemed to ring in her ears now. Even the Phoenix sneered at her idiocy. She had been his greatest manipulation.

"Jean, I do what I need to do to ensure the survival of the X-Men! Mystique is a formidable foe and her ruthless war against the Friends of Humanity does not help our cause for integration with and acceptance by said humanity!"

"For the greater good, eh Charles! I shudder to think how you would have contained me had I not joined forces with you of my own free will."

Emma flicked an imaginary piece of fluff from her arm. "I suppose now you will coerce her into some sort of submission and she will work for you outside of the knowledge of the other X-Men and because of her particular skill, I feel that you will slip into some morally dubious territory."

Charles had enough of the interrogation, he turned from the window completely and faced them. "You will direct Mystique to me when she contacts you, you will not tell anyone else of this conversation and you will never again question my authority on this matter or your tenure here will be subject to review, both of you."

Jean was taken aback by the quiet ferocity in Charles' voice. It brought down her neatly built house of cards about the people she considered herself closest to. Emma could see the pain on Jean's face and decided to retrieve the situation for her sake. She approached the desk and sat on it casually. She levelled him with her icy eyes.

"Look I understand the turbulent years spent in opposition to Magneto. I agree that containing him is essential and frankly were I in your position I would have taken the opportunity to remove his greatest weapon. She is an asset to any campaign. I will not say anything Charles. You have my support."

Charles nodded at the unexpected demonstration of loyalty and looked at Jean, he regretted his earlier outburst. "Jean I apologise Jean, I never meant that-"

But Jean cut him off, "your secret is safe with me." And with that she stormed out of the room.

Emma shifted back on to her feet and said, "I'll take care of it." Charles nodded again and turned his chair to look back out the window.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for these short chapters. Time is gold these days! There's plenty more written and thank you for the really encouraging reviews! I'll get them up as soon as...

**Moments later…**

Following Jean wasn't as easy as Emma expected for Jean must have run from outside Charles' room and was nowhere to be seen when Emma exited his office. Sighing to herself, Emma called out telepathically for her. Jean did not respond much to Emma's annoyance but then moments later she caught the image of Jean's hands getting coffee that was projected to her. _I'll take the crumbs…_she said wretchedly to herself and turned to make her way to the kitchen. When she got there, there were several other members of the X-team and faculty lounging around drinking coffee and reading the papers. Scott sat in the corner eating muesli and watched as Jean nervously went to the coffee machine but didn't greet anyone. Then he saw Emma appear a few moments later obviously having hurried and watched her stall at the door as she calmed her breathing before walking over to where Jean was. He sat, swallowing uneasily.

Emma had thrown aside her apprehension upon seeing Jean and decided to make a stand on this possible friendship they'd been skirting around. She walked over to her and was somewhat glad Jean's back was to her. She decided to keep this conversation between the two of them. _Jean? _

_Go away! _Jean immediately fired back.

_Jean! _

_I'm sorry Emma; I just want to be alone._

_So you came to a room full of people..._

_I wanted to get coffee then be alone! Damn it! _Jean's shoulders drooped.

_What's wrong? Other than the obvious._

_The Coffee is all gone!_

_Here let me. _Emma nudged her way in front of Jean and went through the motions of percolating another pot of coffee. She even changed the filter and selected Jean's favourite beans which she ground down for her. She turned to look at Jean who was just staring at her hands doing the work. There had been a comfortable silence but now Emma knew she must break it.

_Jean, everything will be okay. _She said softly in Jean's head. Jean could feel the waves of support emanating from Emma. She couldn't resist letting the warm sensations wash over her. She opened her eyes and placed her hand on Emma's shoulder. She knew it wasn't easy for Emma to offer such support to a woman she could barely stand not too long ago. She gathered her raw feelings and sighed.

_Thank you._

_For what?_

_For making me coffee! _

_Darling I was gasping too, it was the least I could do. Besides, I have to avert a code Grey crisis now, don't I! _Emma turned and winked at her, completely disarming Jean and bringing her back down to earth. Emma was offering humour as a way out of the doldrums. The ramifications of Charles' plans could be gone over later without melodrama. Jean mustered some self-deprecation as an effort at levity.

_You bet! A Grey without her morning coffee is not a sight to behold. _Jean was smiling now and thinking how strange her world had become. Here was the white Queen consoling her despair at having her certainties in life turned upside down.

_A sight I'd happily behold, Miss Grey! _Jean started chuckling and nudged Emma playfully. This did not go unnoticed by Scott who continued to chew his muesli and watch in silence. Jean felt Emma's hand pat hers gently as she looked at her and smiled. Jean was muddled to say the least. The professor's willingness to cut her loose from the X-men if she defied him had left a nasty taste in her mouth that she wanted the coffee to overcome and it was Emma, not Scott, who was holding her up now. Trying to assuage her fear that the world she knew hadn't just just flipped inside out. That this was just the way things were now and that she would adapt. There was much to glean from coffee making she surmised.

_What happened to you? _She asked Emma softly.

Emma understood exactly what she meant.

_I met you._

Silence.

_Lucky me._

_No Jean, lucky me!_

With that they sat together at the counter and continued to talk telepathically until the coffee was ready.

The others in the room sensed something was going on between the two women and decided to stay out of it. Just nodding their hellos as they got on with their breakfasts before heading out for the day. Scott brought his bowl to the dishwasher and turned to face Jean.

"Are you coming, Jean?"

Jean just looked at him blankly.

"Going where?" she asked.

"Going out for that run we said we'd go on today." Emma knew that he was lying and watched the little scene unfold. He was obviously nervous of the two of them being together.

"Scott, I'm busy today. Besides you know I went for a run late last night."

Emma smirked to herself that Jean wasn't going to play around with Scott's boyish tactics today, though she didn't come out and call him a liar.

"Fine, I'll see you later." Scott snipped and turned to walk away, his heckles rising.

_I apologise for that. _Jean offered.

_For what? It's forgotten. Though I'm surprised he fibbed so easily. I though he'd choke if he told a lie-_

Then Emma shut up mentally when she realised that Scott was indeed a very adept liar and then she felt that sinking feeling that she now recognised as guilt coming over her. This time it was Jean that tried to elevate the mood when she noticed it had turned deathly serious.

"You know you owe me one dinner date!" She joked out loud.

Emma gathered herself up and went straight into flirt mode.

"Who said anything about dinner?" She teased.

"I just assumed that's what we were going to do on Friday night before Mystique-"

"-rudely interrupted us?"

Emma finished for Jean as she threw back her head a little and laughed quietly. Jean thought it a beautiful reaction. In fact, Jean soon started to forget about Mystique and Xavier and Scott as she started to hear her heartbeat in her chest at the realisation of the close proximity of the woman she was thinking too much about. Emma sensed the shift in the air too. The electrical fields around them were almost sizzling.

"Let's get out of here." She offered out loud.

_Where do you want to go? _Jean asked telepathically.

"Anywhere but here!"Emma said as she grabbed Jean's hand and led her out of the kitchen. "I do indeed owe you a dinner!"

"Stop Emma, you must wait for your visitor!"

Emma halted in her tracks as Jean bumped lightly into her.

"I completely forgot! Drat it Jean you're playing havoc with my brain!"

Emma winced when she realised she had said that aloud and looked behind them to see Logan raising an eyebrow at their antics. He could sense the change in the air too and chose not to exacerbate it further as he tilted his head at them and walked by. Jean still stood close behind Emma, and deciding to be playful, placed her two hands on her shoulders, leant down and whispered in her ear.

"After you've sent your visitor to Charles, come pick me up and bring me to dinner, talk to me, amuse me, distract me, just be with me later for a little while." Emma shivered at their proximity. "I could use a friend." Emma deflated a little at these final words but mustered her best smirk as she turned to Jean.

"Today, Jean Grey, you are going to get the Frost treatment!"

_Like you bloody deserve! _Emma added to herself.


	8. Chapter 8

Emma made her way back to the second level classroom where Mystique had first approached her. She sighed thinking about the situation. Charles had finally gone down a path that his precious Xmen would be unhappy with and now the burden of secrecy was not just on her but more importantly on Jean. Would she tell Scott? They had never discussed it. The more people knew, the more his plan would backfire and she wondered if that wouldn't be such a bad thing. Mystique was seven kinds of deadly, but she was a tool put to use these days not an instigator. Nonetheless, if she discovered Charles' attempt at duplicity and control who knows what she would stop at for revenge against him and by proxy the school in which he lived. Emma was certain that Jean would not tell Scott, not just yet anyway. They still had to see how today played out and if Mystique would agree to go to Charles with her or just try to kill Emma on the spot. She knew Jean and Charles and therefore all the Xmen would be within reach telepathically but they hadn't thought the shape shifter was that much of a threat obviously. Perhaps they were being overconfident, she was a master assassin after all. Arriving at the room, she pushed the door open and saw that Flora was already waiting for her. She was sitting at the teacher's desk and looked a little green around the gills. Emma closed the door behind her and saw as Mystique changed into her true blue form and release a breath she had been holding. She looked worn out. Haggard even though it was more difficult due to her skin colour to tell, Emma was sure she was a paler blue than usual.

She approached the desk cautiously and sat on the edge of a student's desk nearby. Mystique gathered herself together and looked at Emma.

"I hope you have a solution for me. I might just kill you if you don't..." Emma heard the plea in her voice and quickly decided to end her torture. She wasn't in the least bit afraid of the woman before her. _My edge is gone, I'm actually within striking distance of a coiled snake and I'm not afraid. What have these Xmuppets done to me?_

Emma chose her words carefully and rather prudently she stood up and away from the desk. She turned and fixed Mystique with her most earnest look, hoping the other woman would read the veracity of her words in her body language.

"Yes, I can help you get rid of that parasite-" Mystique gasped in relief- "but…"

"But?" Mystique closed herself up and bristled.

"Yes Mystique, there is always a but. The mutant's imprint can be removed but I am not powerful enough to do it, I'm afraid." She feigned checking her nails but kept and eye on Mystique. She mentally berated herself that her defence mannerisms showed through so easily and dropped her hands. She squared her shoulders. " Look, " She offered as a consolation, "I don't like it either but I just don't know enough about this power to remove it."

Mystique clucked her tongue belying her old age, "Charles, I take it?" She didn't need an answer. Emma watched her weigh up the pros and cons. Finally, she looked back up at her. "I'm desperate, Emma, take me to him."

_-But it's only half eleven in the morning, Emma! _Jean started as she felt Emma's pace quicken.

_-I know that dear but that doesn't mean we can't start with a hearty brunch, march through a simple lunch and end up sitting across from each other over an exquisitely prepared meal somewhere heavenly tonight!_

_-Sounds like a lot of eating…_

_-It is, but I'll keep you occupied in between times!_

_-Oh! How so?_

_-Well… for brunch, we'll start somewhere local…I know just the place…for lunch we'll drive to the city and see a few sights before hand, then we are going to a spa I own where we'll be pampered for the late afternoon, then let's see…let's go to a show!_

_-What!_

_-Let's do something completely normal and take in a Broadway show… _Emma laughed at the look on Jean's face. She was incredulaous but then she started thinking things through. Then a little smiled curved her lips, more a smirk, Emma was intrigued.

_-I heard Wicked is very good Emma…_Jean was laughing now and definitely energized.

_-That settles it we'll go and see that I always loved the Wizard of Oz as a child…_

_-You did? Wow!_

_-Don't be so surprised Grey, I was once a child you know!_

_- I know you were silly, I was surprised because it was my favourite too!_

_-Well then, you see, we are a match made in heaven! _Emma winced at her lameness.

_-Indeed, Miss Frost! _Jean stopped and bowed before Emma who laughed again then reached out and took her hand.

_-Come with me, Miss Grey and before the night is out we will be dining in New York's finest restaurant, drinking wine and forgetting all about today._

Emma dropped Jean's hand, spun around and faced Jean as she felt her hesitate slightly and spoke aloud.

"Jean, tomorrow is a million years away. Let's live in the moment for once. Agreed?"

"Agreed!"

Jean took Emma's hand again and they finished their sprint to the garage where Emma opened the door for Jean to her Aston Martin. Jean secretly adored this car. She didn't know what it was called but Emma seemed to read her mind.

"It's called a DB9 something or other, dear!" Jean just smirked at her and realised her eyes must have betrayed her as she took in the lines of the car before getting in. Emma seated herself beside Jean and buckled up. They looked at each other once and Emma ,in the most unguarded moment Jean had ever witnessed, flashed her a brilliant smile. A smile full of promise and possibility. Her eyes twinkled and her eyebrows lifted in question. Jean nodded and with that the garage door opened and the car peeled down the driveway crunching over the gravel and making Jean's heart sore with adventure, A laugh rippling up from deep inside her as she held on for dear life.

Jean was still reeling from all the emotions she had gone through this day. Emma was quite simply wonderful. She kept Jean's spirits up the entire day although Jean didn't feel that down at all. How could she? Emma's wry commentary left her in fits of giggles throughout the day. She was being so gracious with Jean. Not overbearing in a domineering way but subtly holding the door open for her or smiling when Jean did the same. They danced and flirted about each others' bodies all day while their minds discussed other things. Important things, frivolous things, everything. Emma realised she loved the sound of Jean's voice so she spoke out loud as much as possible so that she could hear it.

Brunch had been hearty indeed with coffee to die for. Jean savoured every drop as she hadn't gotten any back at the mansion since she'd parted with Emma earlier that morning. Then with the wind whipping their hair they drove into the city and Emma hauled Jean through the Met, revealing to Jean that this was her favourite place to come and be alone. Jean held fast to the little insights into the real Emma and found herself asking for more information about this or that painting or sculpture. Emma was certainly an erudite guide and regaled Jean with all the little stories of the artists' lives she could recall. Jean wondered why she hadn't come here before. It was mesmerising. Such beauty in humanity… For lunch they ate a light salad wrap in Central Park sitting by the water on some benches. Jean teased Emma that dinner had better not be hot dogs in Time Square but then rethought that and said that'd be fun too. Emma threw her head back again and laughed heartily and promised Jean she had somewhere altogether better in mind. Having called her driver to come and collect the car, she had him drop them off at the hotel spa she had chosen. She got immediate attention obviously being well known there…or probably owning it…Jean thought to herself. Emma told her driver to book two seats for _Wicked_ and then whispered something else in French that Jean didn't pick up but concerning the restaurant no doubt. Jean could see Emma's excitement brimming through her and she found herself wanting to telepathically link with her to share her sense of joy too. Nothing was strained, there were no past histories impinging on the present. It was just the two of them loose and carefree for a stolen day in New York, city of dreams. Jean felt giddy as a school-girl again as she watched Emma lean conspiratorially close to her driver. She knew this man, she liked this employee and Jean could tell it was mutual. Her respect for Emma the boss was growing. She wasn't the uber bitch she pretended to be.

For the afternoon Jean was pampered in the spa and given the most wonderful Thai massage before being wrapped up and left to bathe in sea minerals of some description. Her nails were done after the bath as her hair was washed and styled. She floated into her changing room where she found Emma had organised some clothes and shoes for the evening. They were exactly Jean's size and colour and it baffled her how Emma had managed this. They had been separated into different therapy areas after the massages and she presumed Emma had been busy on the phone.

Emerging from the changing room she walked into the foyer of the spa and was met with looks of admiration by several people standing around. Emma turned away from the receptionist at the desk when she noticed the fall in conversation and turned to see Jean walking towards her. She gasped ever so slightly at the vision before her and Jean detected it. Jean looked from Emma's mouth to her eyes before taking in Emma's dress.

"You look wonderful Emma!" She got out before she came right up to Emma.

"Good Lord Jean, I am only the side show here, you are devastatingly beautiful tonight. You're glowing!" Emma said slowly taking Jean's hands and appraising her.

Jean bent her head shyly and thanked Emma for the compliment. She then raised her head and smiled her most dazzling smile and said more confidently. "I feel wonderful…I feel beautiful tonight…" _with you_… was left unsaid.

Again Emma's breath caught and a smile crept across her face. She extended her arm. "Shall we?"

Jean took her arm happily and they both walked out of the spa leaving a wake of admirers behind them. They were a sight to behold. Emma had chosen a black and white dress from the twenties more than likely vintage and Jean was wearing a scorching green and red number straight from an Italian fashion house and she felt like a million dollars walking out into the street. Driver Dan held the door open for them and off they went. How Emma had managed to get another bigger car to be chauffeured around in was a question Jean dropped. She knew that anything was possible with on Miss Frost guiding the way.

Jean sat waiting for the curtains to pull back and let the anticipation of the crowd sweep though her. She looked over at Emma who kept looking ahead but smiled a little as she felt Jean's eyes on her.

"Steady On, Grey, or I'll think you're softening up to me!" She joked as she turned to look at Jean. Jean just kept gazing into her eyes and they froze there together until a hush came over the crowd and the show began. Jean felt relieved that her attention had been called to centre stage as she was afraid she was just about to do something she might regret. So she lost herself in the story and couldn't help but see the parallels between Elphaba and Glinda and Emma and herself. Emma chuckled too and seemed to again read her mind.

_-Do they remind you of anyone, darling? _She purred telepathically.

Jean couldn't help the hundredth smile to cross her lips that day. She reached out and touched Emma's arm.

_-There are certain similarities!_

_-I'm just thankful green isn't my colour! _Emma joked.

_-I think you'd be magnificent in any shade… though you do look exquisite in white._

_-I should bloody hope so or my wardrobe is all going out in the bin tomorrow!_

_-The White Queen…_Jean trailed off into her own thoughts and her eyes glazed over a little as Emma watched her for a moment before turning back to the stage. She observed the characters and forgot for a moment that she knew the outcome from the movie.

_-I hope it ends well…_she mused.

"She dies!" Jean answered aloud out of nowhere surprising even herself.

"That's foreboding! Maybe she doesn't…wait and see…" Emma joked.

"Hmmm…" was all Jean could say. She suddenly wished Elphaba didn't have to die and that Glinda would realise she loved her and and and…Jean pulled her thoughts back. She was married. She loved her husband. They were soul mates…weren't they? So why now, right here alongside this enigma did she feel more alive, more cherished, more hungry for life than ever before? Being with Emma was as close to the Phoenix's awesome power of creation she could possibly come. She felt it spinning through her that they could create galaxies and ignite stars together. And she searched her memory for the similar feeling in her relationship with Scott and it wasn't there. There was a deep love, a loyalty but they had always known they would be together. Not even Logan's interest swayed her away from Scott. But here tonight in the light playing on Emma's face from the stage and her unguarded enjoyment of the antics left Jean feeling like jelly. What was she going to do?

After the show, Emma linked arms with Jean and they walked towards the little bistro that Emma had booked just two blocks from the theatre. It was a small intimate place, nothing too fancy, but certainly quaint and oozing quality. The food here was a passionate affair and gourmands stretching the expanse of the state would make a point of eating here regularly. Therefore, it came as no surprise that Emma was greeted warmly by the owner and shown to an intimate candlelit corner table away from the glances of the other diners. Emma chose the wine but let Jean choose the starters they would share and took pleasure in describing the different dishes on the menu. In the background, an accordionist lulled the diners into another era and place as his fingers moved gracefully and the sounds of romance and heartache resonated through the air.

"It's beautiful here." Jean whispered quietly not sure why she was whispering at all.

"Yes, it is," Emma agreed not taking her eyes off Jean.

They sat through the late dinner talking about the show and discussing many things they had enjoyed when they were younger. They innocently revealed at the same time the love of the old Hollywood classics and Emma couldn't stop grinning. They spoke of the first time their powers had started and about their family's reactions. They didn't wade into dangerous territory though as they just wanted to learn more about each other within the framework of this glorious day.

Dinner over they got into the car and Dan set off for the mansion. Jean asked the driver to stop before they got there so that they might walk up the path and not end the night too quickly. In the moonlight, they wandered over to the lake and the boathouse. There was a bench there and Emma pulled the blanket she had taken from the car over Jean's shoulders.

"What about you?" Jean asked as she gathered the blanket about her shoulders.

"A F-Frost d-does-not feel the c-c-c-cold!" She chattered through her teeth in jest.

Jean opened her arms and beckoned Emma to join her under the warm blanket. Emma hesitated for a millisecond before joining her and allowing Jean's warmth seep into her bones and into her heart.

"Tonight was amazing, Emma. Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Jean. I had a great time."

"I'm almost sorry we're back!" Jean cast her eyes over to the mansion where reality awaited them.

"I know what you mean." Emma shuddered underneath the blanket at the thought of Jean leaving her tonight to return to Scott and she felt envy for the first time in a long time. Jean mistook the shiver for cold and held Emma closer. After a comfortable silence, Jean felt brave enough to speak the most dangerous words of the evening. Whether it was the wine, the moonlight, the setting, she just went for it.

"Emma?"

"Yes Jean?"

"There's something here, isn't there?" Jean bravely asked meaning the two of them.

Emma didn't bite her tongue but decided to be honest.

"Yes."

"What are we going to do about it?" Emma sat up straight and turned to wrap the blanket around Jean alone. She needed a modicum of space.

"I know what I want to do…but I respect your position, Jean." Emma couldn't believe the honesty with which she spoke. Her words made an impact.

"Oh Emma! I don't deserve you!" Jean cried as she gathered her arm around Emma and pulled her closely to her. "I think...I think...God how can this be happening... I think... I've fallen for you, Frosty!" She admitted no longer caring if she made an ass of herself.

Emma leaned her head onto Jean's shoulder, the truth bursting from her heart now, she grasped at the blanket around Jean, "Oh Jean, darling Jean, I could never deserve you…but I would have tried and if I had known you could have loved me, I'd have fought for you every step of the way…" Jean pulled back and stared at Emma while she muttered on. Emma froze when it hit her that she was talking out loud.

"What are you talking about?" Jean asked puzzled by Emma's words. Emma closed her eyes and mentally grimaced at her idiot heart. When she opened them, Jean was still waiting for her reply.

_Damn!_ She thought _Damn! Damn! Damn!_


	9. Chapter 9

Emma straightened up. Her eyes averted as she cursed her momentary lapse in composure. She could feel herself bristling, her defences kicking in, and the lies that would billow forth from her. They were inevitable. Years of training, of hiding behind a mask of indifference had served her well, but tonight the awareness of Jean's proximity, of Jean's gentle gaze as she awaited an answer for Emma's outburst and the walls came crashing down. So she caught the lies, she held them on the tip of her tongue because as soon as she lifted her gaze and met Jean's confused, concerned eyes, the lies just vanished from her thoughts. In fact, the yearning for absolute honesty ignited inside her. Her eyes shone more brightly than Jean had seen all day. Even there in the semi darkness, the air around them charged uncertainly, Jean awaited a revelation. Emma started to smile. A small genuine pursing of the lips before she took her bottom lip between her teeth. Jean's gazed dropped to the adorable gesture. Her thoughts were awhirl. Emma seemed to have reached a decision. Though she looked away to gather her nerve.

"Emma?" She asked hesitantly.

Emma braced herself. She had decided in the moment, because this was one of those moments, she could feel it, this was a life-changing moment and her mind could wrap around that in the blink of an eye, this was somehow fate…She would be honest with Jean and suffer the consequences but first, first she wanted to know what she could never have. She turned to face Jean who by the light of the moon was searching her face for an answer to her question. Emma took Jean's hands in her own and willed her voice to stay calm but failed miserably as a lifetime of hidden emotion surged forward.

"If I have lost everything already, Jean, then forgive me for this."

With that she leaned in and gently kissed Jean on the lips. She felt Jean rooted to the spot in panic and she pulled back looking at the surprised face before her. The air hung heavy and charged between them. She was forlorn at Jean's reaction but wanted to be the brave, the brazen one, so she rallied her words and commanded her eyes to meet Jean's though she wanted to look anywhere but at the goddess before her.

"I am quite sure that I have fallen in love with you." She whispered.

Jean blinked in open shock but the dead giveaway was that her eyes locked on to Emma's lips again and her body moved forward ever so slightly on instinct. Emma, so aware of Jean's movements, looked back into her eyes, emboldened by what she saw there, she asked a question with her own which Jean answered with the smallest of smiles.

Emma's heart flipped as she leaned in again and this time felt Jean return the pressure on her lips before their mouths slowly opened and oh so tentatively they started to deepen the kiss. It was so slow, languid almost and Emma felt herself drowning with the sensuality of it all. Jean brought her hands up to Emma's face and drew her closer. It gradually built up as they moved in absolute harmony. _This is love_ thought Jean _this is love's kiss._ Jean was bewildered of course and so impetuous in the moment not thinking of repercussions just yet. They rested their foreheads together caught up in the moment. Jean's face was quite flushed and their hearts were pounding but Emma needed more, needed to show Jean the very depth of her need. So she brought her hand around Jean's neck as she pulled her into a searing kiss, magnificently increasing the power, revealing the unbridled passion that existed between them. They devoured the other with a wanton eroticism after the delicate first kiss. Jean lost her breath, pulled back and gasped for air before firmly grabbing Emma by the face and pulling her back in. She was consumed with a hunger she never felt before. Her need so great that she thought she would burst into flames. Their mouths powerfully moving together, fighting for dominance, then being submissive. Their tongues slaving away at the need to be right inside the other. Emma's hands dropped low around Jean's back and she pulled her impossibly closer. Jean latched on to her neck and they both groaned. They couldn't seem to get close enough.

They stood there together, wrapped up in the moment with reality so far away. But reality always finds a way to creep back in and slowly, ever so slowly, Jean's mind switched back on and she tensed in Emma's arms and started to move backwards.

They pulled away from each other and Emma looked at the panic crossing Jean's gorgeous swollen lips. She knew they were lost now, that Jean would pull away and regret everything. Emma couldn't bear to regret their connection but she knew Jean would wither with guilt. She moved on instinct alone now in a desperate attempt to hold this woman to her, to anchor her in the moment somehow until she realised that they were meant to be together, because Emma felt this rolling through her in waves and she was sure Jean did too. What could she do? There was only one thing a telepath truly wanted in a partner. Absolute access. So without thinking of the consequences she forced her defences down. _This is it_ she thought _do it now coward_! With that she placed both her hands on Jean's face and said, "I'm sorry, Jean."

Jean looked startled by the apology sensing immediately it wasn't because of her wedding vows but something far graver.

"With this final offering, know how much I love you" and she opened her mind and pulled Jean in to experience her miserable little life, there on a wooden bench at the boathouse, Emma opened up all her memories, hopes and dreams to a woman unready to receive the gift. For the most powerful of mutants on the planet to absorb. Emma Frost was playing with fire…


	10. Chapter 10

Jean felt herself drawn like a moth to the flame and entered Emma's mind almost unwillingly. She immediately became lost in the myriad images Emma's unconscious was bombarding her with. She called out for the astral Emma to guide her but she didn't appear. In the real world Jean could feel the cold setting into her body and she telekinetically moved Emma and herself inside the boathouse, which was much warmer than outside and continued scanning Emma's memories. She finally reeled them into some sort of chronological order and started off with her earliest memories. Emma's astral form just lingered in the shadows unable to approach Jean as she waited for the inevitable reaction.

She watched her own memories and made peace with the childhood ones before wincing at the high school ones before reliving the first casino visits, the faked, then real kidnapping, her family, her father and his impossible standards and coldeness, Astrid Bloom deception, Ian's rejection of her, her hatred rising…the years being eaten voraciously by Jean who she now noticed was transforming. Jean's hair became wilder and her clothes started to change from the dress she was wearing tonight to her uniform though in shifting colours, usually red. She watched as Jean observed the Hellfire Club, the Hellions, Genosha all her sordid sexual tricks, her tormenting of others, her murder of her sister and finally after so much debauchery, so much manipulation and deep misery Jean saw the Emma she had come to know re-emerging from the tangles of her past. She saw her trying to lay the foundations for a better life, to reach the potential she had as a child that had become subverted by her family. She saw the institute through Emma's eyes, her reactions to Jean and the others but last of these images was her affair with Scott. Emma saw the flames licking Jean's hair now and knew what was coming. Jean saw the affair, the deception, the attempt to hide it in his mind and still Jean kept going through Emma's memories right up to the point they were at that second. She felt Emma's growing love for her; she experienced their first kiss from Emma's point of view and knew it to be true. Jean wiped the arena clear of these images until it was just the two of them hovering in nothingness, then she turned and looked straight at Emma's astral image and her eyes grew fire and her costume became that of the Phoenix as she grew in stature, pointing at Emma. The gathering storm of hellfire and brimstone about to be released. Jean couldn't contain herself.

Back in reality, Emma quickly turned to her diamond form as she felt Jean being taken over by the Phoenix fire. This was not what she was wishing for, this was too extreme and now the danger to the others was immense. Jean stood up and telekinetically threw Emma to the ceiling of the boathouse pinning her there.

"**I will destroy you! Cleave your mind in two and incinerate you!"**

Emma thought of the students asleep in their beds. She thought of Genosha and of how she would be responsible for their deaths. Regret flooded her. She looked at Jean, at the terrible beauty before her, the rage and the eyes burning into her. She was exquisite. An exquisite terror.

"**This diamond form will not save you wretch!"**

_Oh God what have I done?_She thought out a million different scenarios, each one ending in her death of course but each one trying to prevent the deaths of the others at the mansion. Jean had created a psychic shield of terrifying power around them thus preventing her from calling for help. However, Emma Frost was a resourceful woman, she didn't get where she was by not excelling in strategies. She thought it out in the blink of an eye. She needed to evoke some empathy in the destroyer before her, attempt some connection with Jean inside this creature, this hellfire incarnate. So she cleared the decks of her mind, projecting a wide arid expanse with a calming greenish tint mixed with a light sky blue. The colours were important for her. Calm yourself Jean she willed to the woman before her as she called her back onto the astral plane and away from the reality of the boathouse. Not a place she wanted to die in was her last thought of the shack before she closed her eyes and instantly faced the Phoenix. She could see the brief look around this new setting that was afforded her and beckoned the Phoenix to come closer. She took her best fighter position and prayed Jean would just stay in her mind to finish this…

Emma stood up after each attack and resumed her fighting position. The Phoenix launched frenzied attack after frenzied attack on her astral self and it tore down every defence she conjured against it. She knew it was taking her longer and longer to recover from the barrage, but she kept getting back up and counterattacking the thing before her. This was Jean after all, Jean beneath the firebird, hovering in its belly, all-consumed and displaying her terrible might on this astral plane. This was Jean she was trying to reach even now when it seemed most hopeless with the voice of the Phoenix piercing her mind, shrieking and breaking her apart from within.

Feeling her power begin to wane both here and in the real world where she was alone with the dark Phoenix in a boat house so close to the mansion, Emma knew her time was near. She bitterly regretted the havoc the Phoenix was going to cause and the lives that would be lost through her indiscretion, her revelation. And yet, the risk had to be taken. For the possibility of loving Jean Grey outweighed the possibility of the situation she was now in. _I never considered myself a fool for love _she thought wryly. The cool, calm and collected White Queen had been controlled not by her passions but by that long lost acquaintance – hope. This had made her falter. Jean had brought hope into her life, the hope for something better, something purer than what she'd become. The yearning for a love like only Jean could offer. Her heart on a plate. The Phoenix launched itself again and Emma fell to the ground she had created, she felt her face in the hot sand of the expanse they were battling in and Emma finally realised what she wanted and what she now seemed willing to die for…for Jean, for the children.

With this realisation, she got up again from the dirt and stood to face The Phoenix. This time she relaxed her pose and stood straight with her hands at her sides. The desert scene fizzled away as she imagined a forest she had known close to her home as a child. She conjured it all at lightning speed - tall beautiful trees, a myriad of greens, every nook teeming with life and clear blue skies overhead. Bird song, deer, squirrels, and a river close by…in fact anything she could think of for this scene. She stood in a clearing, holding an injured falcon and waited The Phoenix to appear in this new setting. She did not have to wait long.

Ahead she could see the Phoenix blazing towards her as though it were an advance of trees being engulfed by flames but when it finally came to rest mere metres away from Emma, the forest realigned itself and all was momentarily calm. _She's thinking_ Emma realised and made use of the pause as the dark Phoenix took in the images around it. The flames grew tighter around Jean and the wings of flames drew themselves back as Jean looked around. Emma seized her opportunity.

"Jean, before I die there's something I want to say."

Jean's head snapped up towards Emma again and her gaze settled on the falcon in Emma's arms. The flames licked all over her as her voice calmed down from the shrieking to the sensual tones the true Phoenix could communicate in.

"**You may speak**."

Emma gathered herself together and held the bird out to Jean.

"Will you heal this?"

"**Heal what does not exist!"** The Phoenix laughed.

"Will you heal this for me?" Emma persisted.

"**Your final words are words of nonsense White Queen! Prepare to die!"**

Emma took a step towards Jean.

"Jean, will you heal this?" and with those words the falcon faced Emma and spread its wings until it encompassed Emma completely. Its injured wing clear near her left shoulder. It then started to glow a golden white until it cried out and dissolved into Emma's body which now glowed white except where her heart was blackened. There Emma stood before Jean with her heart exposed waiting for the death blow but asking for healing.

The Phoenix flames dimmed as Jean took a step closer to Emma. She stopped hovering and gracefully descended to the forest floor. She cocked her head to the side and whispered in a voice that carried through the trees, one word only: _**why?**_

"Why? Because I am asking for forgiveness." Emma spoke steadfastly.

"**Why should I forgive you?"**

"Because Jean Grey…_I love you…_and I don't want to die like this."

"**How would you like to die then?"** The Phoenix asked arrogantly, ignoring the first part of the sentence. Emma stepped towards the Phoenix who seemed quite un-phased by her advance.

"Like this."

With those final words Emma closed the gap between them and kissed Jean gently on the lips trembling slightly as she drew back and looked into the Phoenix' eyes and watched as they changed back to the familiar green. Jean's own voice returned intermittently with the Phoenix'.

"**Your memories do not tell of love, Emma**." Emma could hear the hurt Jean in the question as well as the lethal Phoenix. "**They showed desire, yes, but not love. You are lying**."

Emma took hold of Jean's hands and said gravely, "I admit I was attracted to you. I admit I betrayed you with Scott but you know too that I regret that more than anything. You know I have grown fond of you despite my best efforts otherwise. And for this I am willing to die as long as you don't kill anyone else. You may have your revenge if you leave the children alone, if you leave the X-men alone. I am in love with you Jean. I want to be with you. I want to cherish you and to be cherished by you," Emma let go of one of Jean's hands and brought it to her face and cupped her cheek, "for you, Jean, are beyond magnificent, beyond words and I am unworthy of you but still…I want you with me forever. Perhaps because of this one of us must die and well seeing how things are going, that'll be me. But now it's my choice. Just don't harm the others and I will go willingly." Emma then brought one of Jean's hands to her heart and placed it over the open wound until the blackness seeped away and the white enclosed the cavity her heart had been in. Jean stared at where her hand was resting.

"You have healed me, Jean. Not just now, but that first day you walked into my classroom to see if I was alright. You are my saviour and my destroyer and god how I adore you!" Emma dropped her hands to her sides and took a step back awaiting the imminent attack from Jean. Their eyes were locked and the flames started to lick around the edges of Jean's once more. But instead of finishing off her nemesis, Jean stepped towards Emma, reached out and drew her in towards her. She embraced her and Emma felt the heat from where her astral body was burning up against Jean's fire. _This is it_ she thought _death comes in so glorious a fashion!_

She raised her arms and hugged Jean back with everything she had, her mental shields slipping allowing the greatest of telepaths to strip her bare and annihilate her whilst holding her tight.

But death didn't come. They stood there and Emma felt the intense heat leaving her mind and her astral body no longer burned where it touched the Phoenix. She felt the lightest of kisses on her skin An almost whisper. Emma's knees buckled in relief and joy as she felt another ghosting of lips nearer her neck. The Phoenix pulled back and stared straight at Emma, whose face displayed the beautiful look of hopefulness and relief and Jean was able to contain the Phoenix flame with that wonderment of hope facing her. She smiled slowly. Emma nearly died.

Back in the real world, the Phoenix had vanished and Jean was left telepathically pinning a diamond form Emma to the ceiling of the boat house. They opened their eyes simultaneously and Jean lowered Emma to the floor and walked towards her as Emma did the same changing back to her human form in the process.

"We have much to talk about." Jean started.

"I am so very sorry Jean, for everything, for the risk I took tonight, for-" Jean held a hand up to cut Emma off.

"We have much to talk about…but not right now. I can't right now." Jean slumped her shoulders and Emma drew her towards her for an awkward hug. Jean edged away. "I can't." she murmured. Emma's heart started to shatter; she could feel it there breaking into a million pieces as the cold surrounded her. Emma felt a traitorous tear slide down her cheek. She tilted her head to look at the ceiling in defeat. Jean had turned and started walking away. At the door, she paused, but didn't turn around.

"You looked beautiful tonight," Jean murmured before she left.

"Thank you, darling." Emma whispered to the empty boat house. With that she went to lean back against the wall for support but slid down the wall and sat on the cold floor. Her head in her hands as sobs wracked her body and she wept for Jean, for herself, for the students that died, for everybody and everything she had touched in her sordid life. She wept until the tears would no longer come.


	11. Chapter 11

Emma stared out the window, faintly aware of Charles' prattle about the events of the previous night. He quizzed her but she refused to entertain full disclosure. The Phoenix had been there, yes, and now it was under control again. Yes Charles, no Charles. She kept her answers succinct. She knew Jean had already come to him to explain the massive shield he had surely felt as Emma was battling for her life in the boathouse. Jean, the very murmur of whose name kept her awake all night, kept her beating herself up for ever revealing herself, for ever betraying so perfect a creature. She was so tired now, so worried and a little irked to have to explain herself though she knew his concern was genuine. The students were unharmed and that's all Emma actually cared about now. She couldn't maintain focus on his voice, his intonation that of a very annoyed Professor just jaded her. She admitted she was wrong, no there was nothing to worry about Charles. Not anymore. She couldn't think past Jean walking away, the hurt evident. She didn't dare think of how Scott would react.

Charles, quite aware that she was drifting off in her head, stopped the aural assault and called to her telepathically:

_Emma, please turn around and engage with me. The answers aren't out there in the trees._

Emma shrugged her shoulders, straightened her back and turned to him.

"I want to take a leave of absence," she stated authoritatively, "effective immediately."

Charles didn't blink, didn't show any surprise almost as though he knew this was coming.

"I think that might be for the best, Emma." He moved his chair from out behind his desk and over to where she was standing by the enormous window. "I do, however, have a suggestion, an alternative, if you will…" Her quirked eyebrow and full attention was on him at last.

Packing her things later that afternoon had been a sobering experience for Emma. Just when she thought she had finally found a home, somewhere to rest her head for a while, she was on the move again. It was always her own doing, having to keep moving, keep struggling forward in this insane life gifted with horrendous powers of manipulation and deceit. Where was there a corner to just be? Her favourite books rested on top of the few items of clothing she really wanted with her. The dress she had worn last night she picked up from the floor of the bathroom and dumped in the waste basket. No memories for her there now that she wanted to recall. The faintest hint of Jean's perfume came from it, lingered for a moment in the air and she felt betrayed all of a sudden. She wanted to talk to Jean so badly. She wanted to hold her hand and tell her again how she most surely now loved her with every fibre of her being. It was an all consuming weariness now to allow these thoughts in and she fought hard to continue her task of packing and making her escape. She knew that Jean and Scott had left already to god-knows-where for god-knows-what, presumably picking over the carcass of what marriage there might be now because she had meddled in their lives. She was beneath her own contempt now; the professor hadn't been forthcoming in information about his talk with Jean. Touché she supposed. She would hardly expect him to divulge how Jean was or where she had gone. Closing the door quietly and making her way down the back stairs to the garage, Emma slipped into her car and left the mansion wondering when if ever she could return.

Her thoughts were numbed when she saw the gates closing behind her in her rear-view mirror. Alone again, always and ultimately alone. Another uprooting, another upheaval but now with a purpose, a mission for her solely from the man who gave her a chance at some decency in her life, who offered her a home, who took a chance that she would not betray him or his ethos. But she had possibly done worse and torn at the fabric, the glue that held the Xmen together. Their trust in each other.

_Like a parasite_, she mused, _I am a parasite to the good people around me._ She laughed. _How self indulgent of me_, she thought. Shouldering all the blame when those adults had their choices to make too. She didn't coerce Scott and Jean didn't have to accompany her on that most delicious of days yesterday. Yesterday, oh god just yesterday the world was spinning right off its axis with the untold possibilities of her attraction to Jean. Today the earth had stopped moving and a great hole had opened up underneath her. _I am not for the cliché black pit of despair_ she groaned. _I am not a child, I will move through this. I will battle on I will take the world, set it all on fire, rise from the ashes… even now that damned Phoenix is in my brain! Gah!_ Embers singeing at the core of her thoughts, she could feel her fiery tendrils wisping her face as Jean floats by in her imagination. _Oh vivid beast let me alone! Oh delusional image of perfection, dearest Jean let me breathe without you, let me move through the rest of this day and on through the next days without you haunting me._ It is all too much, too real, her heart thumping in her chest, the pounding of its rhythm in her ears. Those hands clutching the steering wheel seemed other to herself, the road ahead, the traffic, heavy grey buildings closing in. _Hold it together Emma, hold it together_, she whispered to herself as her destination came into view. She feels too much, too sudden. She feels love, love for another and it is the strongest emotion she has felt in all of her wretched life. The garage door before her lifts up and as the lights come on inside, the dark void becomes nothing more than the basement of the concrete shell she once called home. She takes heart in the fact that she's returning home to her New York house. It becomes a metaphor in that instant as she drives in. _I will not be swallowed up in the darkness, I will undertake this mission, I will excel at it, I will make her proud of me and no what-thens, they don't matter now. I will focus myself and cleanse myself and prepare for what may come tomorrow. _As the door lowered behind her and before the stark contrast between this garage and the one at the mansion overwhelmed her, Emma bolted up the stairs to her bedroom and heaved herself on her old bed sobbing, not strong now but not weak either just emptying her heart into the pillow she was clutching.

Tomorrow she would track down Mystique. She would infiltrate and do what she did best manipulate the target. Reset the needle, wind the crank and play the same tune she played for decades before she discovered the world destroyer and her heart grew wildly and too rapidly and felt as though it was bursting at the seams for a woman she once scorned…


	12. Chapter 12

Somewhere in Connecticut, a miserable looking man tore the small sachet open and poured its contents into the lukewarm coffee before him. He stirred it methodically unable to look in to the eyes of his companion. He just kept staring at the chipped untouched mug before him. Though his eyes burned with unshed tears, she would never know this detail because she couldn't see those eyes though she had always longed to. They were always hidden just like there was something hidden, something guarded between them now. They knew they were on a downward spiral, petty jealousies were but a whisper away, and so…long intervals of quiet served them well. They had arrived here in silence from the mansion but the quiet weighed heavily now as two people, who most certainly loved each other, struggled to find the words to explain their actions and feelings to one another.

In stark contrast to the gloom in the corner, the waitresses jostled and laughed in the background as some regulars shared stories from the road. The TV in the corner chirped commercials no one heeded and in a booth in the corner, scotch-taped leatherette seats and a beaten old Formica table held captive two souls in desperate need of saving.

Jean sighed for the umpteenth time and finally pushed the dismay at both of them away long enough to whisper, 'We have got to say something to each other, Scott, we can't just sit here all day while everything crumbles around us.'

Scott bristled at her words then fought down the urge to get defensive, finally containing the sense of betrayal he knew he unjustifiably felt, he said, 'You're right… I'm…sorry…'

'I'm sorry too…'

'That doesn't make any of this any easier, does it?' He finally looked up and saw her eyes heavy with tears that didn't fall.

Jean moved her hand across the table to lay it on Scott's. 'No it doesn't but I don't know what to do now. Do we fight for us? Do we take a break and think things through?' Scott tensed and pulled his hand away as Jean just looked at where his hand had been. It was all too symbolic for her.

'Do you love her?' he asked hesitantly. Jean looked straight at him and couldn't answer.

'Do you love her?' his voice raised enough to attract attention. Jean shifted and withdrew her hand from the table before levelling her gaze at her husband.

'Love? I clearly know very little about love. I thought we were in love…but to answer your question…I don't…no I do…feel…a connection to her...I feel alive with her. I'm so sorry Scott.'

Those words pierced Scott Summers' heart like a knife. The questions about their love brimmed to the tip of his tongue but he bit them back, he didn't want resentment between them. He also didn't want her to say things she could never take back. He looked out the window at the trucks pulling away while Jean just looked at him wishing not for the last time that she could see his eyes.

'I think we should take some time apart, Jean. I think if I went away for a while, well…we could both figure out what we want…' he hung his head again and closed his eyes. Jean looked up at the ceiling for the answers, for the right words to say, but all she saw were grease stains and the feeling of hopelessness sunk into her bones. After some time and a Herculean effort to get up, she stood at the table and threw some bills down.

'I'm going back to the mansion. Stay in contact with the Professor and let me know when you're ready to talk…and take care Scott…we have so much to talk about, but…now isn't the time.' She turned then and to his horror walked out of the diner like a mirage fading into the distance without a glance behind her. Scott stared after her, watching her get into her car - his world shattering around him.

Jean's thoughts were all jumbled up and the heartache was slicing her every which way. _I've got to get back, _was all she could think to herself. She knew she had nearly killed Emma that night and she wanted to address that now. Her issues with Scott would go on the back burner when she could think straight. She thought she'd feel guiltier, dirtier but as she had walked away all she felt was confusion and trepidation. For Emma, not for Scott. It startled her. She had to tamp down the Phoenix inside that begged for release. Emma made her feel too much. Perhaps it would be best to avoid her for the moment. Scott had never elicited so visceral a reaction from her and that was now heartbreaking in her eyes. And though her logical part said stay away from the White Queen, her very human heart yearned for nothing more than to see her again. To touch her mind in a gentle way not the forcible assault she had partaken of at the boat house. She felt she was so close to merging with another human being. Like a moth to a flame she was now. She could only hope she hadn't scared Emma off completely. Threatening to kill her might not have been the best option after all she smiled ruefully. She hadn't forgiven Emma her transgression with Scott but she saw that that person was not the woman who bared her soul the night before. That heavenly creature was pulling her back now. She also knew Emma's shields would come back up and her walls would be built higher if she didn't speak to her soon. She was a fragile beast in that diamond shell. This made Jean stop. Then her face dropped, keys fired the ignition to life and she put the pedal to the floor and raced towards her destiny.

It was with these thoughts that Jean sped back along the highway to her destination. The professor would obviously want an update but it wasn't as if Scott hadn't taken a sabbatical before and she knew the X-Men would carry on as usual. Storm would question her and that was something she had to get her head around. What could she say? All these thoughts barrelled from her mind when several hours later she saw the mansion looming before her. She sensed something wasn't quite right and a sense of impending dread filled her. Her nerves rattled, her blood simmered, her eyes filling with amber at the edges of her irises. She fought the Phoenix back. She needed the Professor; she had to get her mind under control first. Emma would be her undoing, Emma would be her resurrection. Emma would be everything but Emma wasn't here. She knew that now pulling through the gates. The White Queen had left the building, but Jean Grey was back and meant business.

The car screeched to a halt on the gravel as Xavier watched from his office window. His wild child, so cleverly contained had returned and he dreaded the possibilities, the paths open to her and wished somehow that his old friend were there to support him. That somehow Erik would know what to do. The tight wrappings around her mind were loosening and the single most powerful being on any planet was walking towards his office with questions he didn't want to answer.

A/N

Thank you reviewers for dragging me back to the table. I live in this world in my day dreams plotting out the story, so thank you for encouraging me. Back to Emma next.


	13. Chapter 13

A buzzer distracts Emma from papers with some long overdue facts and figures about the company she had all but abandoned when she flew off to teach at the Institute. Her underlings had been naughty to say the least and were due for a serious grilling when she was through.

"Er...There's a Flora Bloomington here to see you Ms. Frost."

"Really! Send her in then Glenda, I haven't got all day!"

Flora didn't walk in though, she sashayed as the door clicked shut behind her and doing a quick one two about the room, Mystique revealed herself in all her glory. It still took Emma's breath away a little if she were being honest. The ability Mystique had was truly remarkable and horribly effective when put to ill use and really what other use could Mystique be put to? An impeccable undercover operative for the police or FBI seemed like the perfect alternative to being 'bad' but of course those idiot humans hadn't caught up yet to the positive potential a mutation like hers offered. They were more terrified and paranoid around her than anything else or so Charles had relayed when he primed her for their next meeting. Magneto would have been a fool to let such a gem slip through his fingers. Since, however, Magneto had never been called a fool in the past this hardly needed mentioning, though she thought Xavier had been a little slow off the mark. Adding Mystique's uniqueness to their own would have made sense. Perhaps that's what he was angling for now. Emma sighed and looked at her guest making herself far too comfortable draped over the chair opposite her overly large desk. Mystique crossed her legs and looked straight at Emma and with an almost purring resonance greeted the White Queen on her throne.

"Emma, dearest."

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Emma asked briskly while folding the papers she was working on away. Mystique clucked her tongue as though already bored by the game.

"I am here because you were looking for me…not too subtly I might add…and now I'm here to see if you have the answers I need." Emma placed the file into the drawer beside her and stood up, walked over to the window and looked out. She was choosing her words. There was a game to play after all or was there. "Look, I do have some info for you about your little freeloader and yes I was looking for you but you should know that I was sent to do as much. It is a horrible quid pro quo I'm afraid. I know who can call her off in an instant but he, as usual, wants something or rather someone in return."

"Erik."

"Yes…you're no fool Mystique, you're the very epitome of brilliance but Xavier wants his prodigal pal back within the fold…especially with all the harebrained antics he has you up to."

Mystique sighing said, "Thank you Emma, I know when I'm being manipulated and at least you have the grace to admit it. Naturally it is a rather delicate matter. I am loyal to Erik…to a point. I do think he's losing his grip on reality lately, but turning him over to the X-men is not what I signed up for. I can see no alternative but simply walking away from here…But these eyes in my head…they haunt me. None of my telepathy blocking devices has worked!" Mystique no longer affecting casual indifference swung her legs down and leant forward on to Emma's desk. She conveyed that the game was over, she was ready to listen.

"The woman who did this to you is acting on Xavier's behalf…this you know. I can block her when you are with me so she has no psychic link with you as we speak. I suppose it's because I know what frequency she works at now that I've met her and experienced her power. I have gleaned however that she has no ulterior motive and she has assured me personally that she hasn't done any lasting damage to you. She has just been Charles' eyes and ears in relation to your meetings or contact with Erik, though you have been quite clever since we last met, haven't you! No direct contact, no location, you know she can't read your thoughts or the X-Men would have swooped in by now. Here's the rub though she needs physical contact to sense wrap you as she calls it but she also needs contact to disengage it…and if I were her I would be one hundred percent convinced you'd kill me…so darling, here it is. You simply tell Erik what has happened, tell him Charles wishes only to speak to him and I will bring the mutant here to this very office where she can release you but you have to make a concerted effort not to kill her. How does that sound?"

"It sounds thoroughly reasonable and completely impossible! Erik will freak out when he hears what has happened, I wish only revenge for being so violated by Xavier and killing her will release me from this 'sense wrap' just as effectively I should imagine!"

"You could be unreasonable like that I suppose. Look she's a rookie, she didn't know who she was messing with, she was recruited by Xavier's cronies in Ireland when still a teenager to watch out for upper level mutants like you if they should cross her path. She is up to date with your file, with the Brotherhood and Freedom Force, she did what she thought was right and I am yawning at the goody two shoes predictability of it all, but faulting her and killing her are two different things. I've met her actually and I think she is a little in awe of you. She's flown to New York knowing she has to face you and is utterly terrified to say the least."

"Where is she?" Mystique growled, her eyes glowing brighter which made Emma think of Jean which in this situation was completely unbeneficial to her wellbeing. So she mentally forced herself back to the present, gathering her thoughts and her words to her, so that they might flow from her and reform the tension in the room in to something manageable.

"Easy now Darling, you know she is well guarded by Xavier so that even I don't know where the hell he has her. Look I get that this - how do they say it in Hicksville - oh yes! I know this 'sucks' right now and honestly darling I don't envy the rock or the hard place you're swimming between. It feels wrong somehow, that we should stoop to the petty games of the Xaviers or Eriks of the world. We are meant for more I think. However, I now find myself aligned with Charles Xavier's view of a world involving the integration of Homo sapiens with homo superior. I do hope you join me on this path. We were both misguided, but we can be more. Life switches things around so quickly, doesn't it?" Emma's tone was not mocking and the sincerity jarred with what Mystique remembered of the infamous White Queen. She watched her sit down and fold her hands on the table as though contemplating the truth of what she had just herself uttered. Mystique appraised her for a few moments before venturing down a darker path.

"Indeed it does…Emma, I know that better than most…What is your angle in all this? Why leave the mansion and return to Frost Industries so publicly? Something seems off, you're not yourself. I know you've crossed to the other side, but why? For whom? Hmmm…a twitch in your eye…I'm right…what has brought you down from your ivory tower of mutant supremacy oh Queen? What indeed…Hmmm…have you fallen foul of someone? Have you exiled yourself or been exiled from the inner sanctum? My oh my darling, you give it all away these days. Every movement of your face, your breathing, the droop of your shoulder-"

"Enough! Raven Darkhölme! Enough! I am just like you once were…hopeless…"

Mystique didn't retort, she froze...she could easily reduce Emma with sarcastic remarks but held her tongue... she knew well of the Genoshan tragedy where Emma's students had died but more than that she knew who it was that had gotten under her skin. She had already sensed something there a few weeks ago but for things to have progressed so quickly amazed her. She ventured a cautious guess dipping deep into her own life with Destiny. "Does she not love you? Has she rejected you?"

Emma slumped forward in her chair and put her head on the desk, muttering more to herself than to her guest. "That's just it; I don't know…she asked me to give her time." Mystique arched an eyebrow at the defeated display. Love is something she understands now though she has been flying off the handle around the world trying to forget her heartache with Erik the last few years. She allows it seep back in now, the memory of her lover, the warmth of her arms around her. So she breaks with the villain's protocol and remembering her better half in days gone by she speaks softly.

"Well Emma, it seems we're both in a pickle, how about you pour a nice bourbon and we'll sit on a rock between those hard places and try to figure things out."

Emma shocked by firstly her own weakness and then Mystique's apparent kindness just stared dumbfounded at her guest. Not moving, not speaking just staring. Mystique chuckled.

"Really Emma, I'm not a complete monster I am still human in emotion at least. I have loved and lost yes. I have been so deeply loved that I think you might just be ready for that kind of love at last and I say go for it if it's there, don't waste a moment." Getting up, Mystique moved to the drinks cabinet herself and in one fluid motion had the drinks poured and was back in front of Emma's desk. "Here take that. We don't have to say anything we'll regret but you could use a friend and I'm not the enemy tonight so I guess that'll do."

Emma raised her eyes glistening with unshed tears, tears that whispered soft thank yous to the enigma before her.


	14. Chapter 14

Jean awoke from a fitful sleep. Dreams of Scott and seemingly impossible missions haunted her as she battled to save him and everyone else from the terrors her imagination could produce. This last dream though had shaken her awake as it was the Phoenix destroying Scott, slowly burning him with a mere thought and a callous sneer. Jean tried to shake off the feeling that the Phoenix was clearly directing her away from all that had been familiar and safe. This is what Charles feared most; that somehow, through her interactions with Emma and the possibility of another more passionate path, the relentless passions of the Phoenix would come to the fore and be difficult to subdue. He was always trying to contain her. She resented his conviction that she must bury the Phoenix. Naturally, she was terribly frightened of the possibility of losing her identity completely. She was afraid to embrace the power because of its destructive capabilities. If she gave herself over to it, everything she cared about, absolutely everything would be at risk. Yet her mind niggled away that Charles had been tampering for so long that perhaps her entire personality was an artifice and that she had never truly become the woman she was destined to be. This line of thought terrified her most of all and she shut it down so that she could actually face her day.

Over the previous days while she worked with Charles and Cerebro to trim the edges of her psyche she found her mind constantly coming back to Emma. She knew she wasn't ready yet to face her, and if Charles was to be believed it was in everyone's best interest to stay away from her altogether. That was some ask of him and though her dutiful self understood the reasoning, the very human part of her believed on an instinctual level that together she and Emma could not only survive the Phoenix being unleashed but thrive and move forward together. Charles' exasperation was starting to show though and when he pressed her about how she could think or believe in Emma so surely she could not give Charles any answer that would satisfy him and had almost reluctantly, but obediently, followed his lead and worked on locking the Phoenix down again. Deep down.

Alone in her room though, she wished Emma was there to talk to about it all. She felt she would at least offer insight and support, having been privy to the depths of Emma's emotions, she knew that Emma would be empathetic and passionate about protecting her. It was so joyous and so incredibly sad to have bonded so violently in that mindscape with Emma that fateful night. Her every desire fulfilled to be allowed access to such a complex mind and yet the sting of the betrayal, the horror at her crimes, the loneliness she now battled with because she couldn't be physically near Emma to see where they might go as friends or lovers was torturous. She needed to see her, to touch her, to solidify the fact her body could perfectly understand…that she was meant to pursue something with the White Queen. Not this half life dodging questions from her friends about Scott's disappearance or the judgemental scrutiny of a narcissistic professor. Not today she thought. Today there must be a change. Jean swung her legs from the bed. It was time to start a new day, not another day, but a brand new day in which she would by its close have had contact with Emma.

Sometime later in the empty staff room, upon approaching Jean, Storm reached out her arm and placed it gently on Jean's shoulder so she wouldn't startle her. Jean was hunkering down over some papers fastidiously examining the printouts from the neural scans performed on her the night before. She looked up in to Ororo's concerned face and straightened herself up.

"Hi, how are you Ororo?"

"I am well Jean, but I have something on my mind...I would like to talk to you about it."

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes and no…It is not me I am concerned about. Look Jean, I may not know what is going on but I do feel things are changing around here and I want you to know I am your friend. I care…deeply…about you…You _can_ talk to me, Jean."

Jean reached out for Ororo's hand and took it in her own. "Thank you. I needed to hear that."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"Not right now, no, but soon. I will need you soon but there is someone I need to speak to first."

"Emma."

Surprise flitted over Jean's face that her friend had guessed but she nodded slowly. Turning to leave after squeezing Jean's hand again, "I will be here for that talk too Jean. I wish you only the best." Jean watched her walk away and felt overcome with emotion, with the care emanating from Storm. She looked back at the readings and was content with the facts before her; she was in a more stable place, neurologically speaking, than before. She was ready to contact Emma and toyed with the idea of leaving Charles out of the loop for once but that would be counterproductive. She would simply insist and go ahead with her plan. With this resolve and a healthy dose of trepidation about the response she might receive having secluded herself for so long, she walked back to her room and scrolled for a certain number on her phone. There was a dialling her destiny flash in her mind and she smiled ruefully. _Here goes everything _she thought.

Charles answered immediately and tried to reason with Jean but she defied him and did not allow him to communicate telepathically with her. She raised her shields and guarded against his searching for an opening. He had to make do with the telephone conversation. She agreed to only ring Emma and not to leave the school. Cutting their conversation short, Jean paced her room for a while to gather her thoughts. There were several factors to be considered first. The fact that Emma was on a mission of sorts would normally have kept Jean out of her vicinity until Emma was finished. Jean knew the plan that Emma had agreed with Mystique. She wondered how Emma got Mystique to agree but she hoped maybe Emma might share the memory telepathically one day. That set her heart churring away in her chest. The possibilities of sharing memories was almost an aphrodisiac to a telepath and Jean finally admitted how much she had yearned for such a connection, freely given, by another person. Scott's outright refusal on many occasions had stung at times. She would never have harmed him; did he not trust her deep down? Emma trusted her, foolishly perhaps, a bit too madly, but she did trust her. Jean knew that now. Emma's memories hadn't lied about the surging emotions connected with Jean. She had felt all the confusion Emma had felt when she started to admire her, engage her, flirt with her and most importantly when Emma had kissed her. The mind-blowing perfection of two telepaths on the same wavelength even though it was fleeting that night did show the potential to Jean for shared passion, shared and heightened sensuality and it made her knees tremble a little. Scott and the guilt she expected to manifest itself: noticeably absent. Perhaps the chemical madness inside her was pushing it aside. She didn't want to think about that now. She had to be honest with Emma. Explain herself.

So she picked up the phone again and dialled the White Queen. After a lengthy wait, the call was answered with a familiar voice. A voice so tentative as to be endearing. There was hope in that one '_Hello?' _Emma whispered into her phone. Jean's heart did a little summersault. Her voice broke.

"Emma."

Emma clutched the phone tighter in her hands and breathed out, "Jean," with so much relief that Jean couldn't bear to think of the pain she had caused with her silence.

"Emma, I…god…I…it's so good to hear your voice," was all she could manage in the moment. Emma sat back in her chair and gathered her thoughts, "Oh Jean, it's so damn good to hear yours too, darling….I've…missed you."

"I'm so sorry Emma…I'm sorry it took so long."

"Don't apologise-"

"I have to apologise Emma, I need you to know you've been on my mind constantly, not a day, not an hour went by when I didn't think of you-"

"Oh Jean! Darling I understand…I do-"

"..and I want to see you, I really do…but…Charles doesn't think I'm ready yet."

Emma's heart broke a little at these softly spoken words, but she knew Jean must be feeling awful and she refused to add to her misery. She mustered some bravado from somewhere, "It's for the best darling. We'll figure it all out in time, we have time, and we can talk right? I mean you can call me and we could just talk?"

"I'd love that, Emma, to talk with you." Jean sighed in to the phone as she lay back on her bed, adjusting her pillows and pulling a blanket over her legs. "If you have the time, I'd love to lay here and talk."

"I'll always have the time," Emma replied. "Though I wish I were at home curled up on my sofa with a warm drink!" Emma laughed at last. "We should absolutely organise that!"

Jean chuckled and took great comfort in how relaxed and easy it was to do this with Emma. Perhaps it was easy if they kept it superficial, they'd have to tread carefully. She said as much to Emma who agreed.

"I'll be honest Jean; I am totally terrified of this."

"I know, so am I."

"I just don't want to screw it up. I feel…so…much-"

"I feel it too."

"You do?"

"Yes honey I do."

Jean seemed not to notice the endearment she used with Emma but Emma's heart rang like a church bell in her ribcage. She could do honey, she could be a honey, only Jean's honey though, no one else could ever use that word, only Jean. Emma amazed herself with how extreme everything to do with Jean made her feel and act. She would have decapitated anyone else for attempting to call her honey. She had to know.

"You called me honey"

"I'm sorry I-"

"I liked it."

"…oh…" Jean stammered.

"Oh indeed!"

"You're making me blush."

"...Good."

A/N

Thank you to those sweet reviewers who pulled me back into this world. I love thinking out the possibilities, of immersing myself in this fantasy world. This will be finished, of that, have no doubt.


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